Playing Basketball Tips

A Dying Passion

2007-10-10T01:24:00.001-07:00

When we look at players today, we see players who sign a huge contract only to give up. They give up because they have done what they have needed. They know where they stand as players, players that will never be real stars and will never have a chance to shine. There is always a need for a role player but a star player is no different. Salaries are measured and contracts are given to keep things in check.

Some players have signed huge contracts only to play average and not up to standard. Some players even go out of their way to play exceptionally in their final year before free agency. This way, they can demand more money because of what they have recently done. This is not a good way to measure a player’s ability because it has been forced. If the same ability is shown after the signing, it is okay.

Now we see that many people today want to be athletes. They want to be athletes because they can make a lot of money and can attain fame. Being a basketball player probably wouldn’t be as appealing if the money wasn’t so good. Do people still want to play basketball if they make the same as ordinary people? The answer is probably no.

Playing basketball is something that a lot of people enjoy. It is a game that is played by many and it can be very competitive. Sometimes people want to improve so much as to beat their friends. They see players of exceptional skill play in the NBA. They want to be in the same position.

If someone wanted to play basketball for a decent amount of money, then it would be a passion. Some people have a passion to do things, like to teach and more. Basketball does not seem like a life job, but it is still a passion to some.

NBA fan
By Jonathan T Chin

Basketball Defensive Skill Drill - Try This Basketball Defensive Skill Drill To Lock Down Opponents

2007-10-09T01:45:00.001-07:00

This basketball defensive skill drill will help you lock down your opponents and avoid becoming a permanent bench warmer for your team. Keep reading to get instant access to more basketball power exercises just like this one.

Coaches actually care more about defense than offense and that's why doing some basketball defensive skill drills like this one will always help your game

The best defense will be able to stop the other team's star players dead in their tracks. There are basketball defensive skill drills that will allow you to do this without blocking all their shots or constantly stealing the basketball away from them.

By being able to force them into doing low percentage, tough shots will serve the same purpose.

The secret to a defensive skill drill like this is making sure you make it extremely hard for your opponent to get a shot. Wear him out and make him tired.

Of course, all of this is only possible if you always stay in front of your opponent.

How To Predict What Your Basketball Opponent Is Going To Do

Your opponent can only ever go where their abs will take them so it's imperative to keep a close eye on their abs.

Don't be lazy on the court. You need to play defense with more than your hands. You need to move your feet as well.

Steal The Ball When It's Moving The Slowest

The basketball is always moving slowest when it is on the up bounce and this is also the time when your opponent has the least control.

When defending make sure you get as wide and as low as you can. This will give you max ability to stay in front of your defender.

By practicing these defensive skill drills you will instantly see improvements in your defense and the defense of your team.

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Basketball Uniforms

2007-10-08T20:30:00.001-07:00

Basketball uniforms instill a sense of unity and team spirit. Standard basketball uniforms consist of sneakers, socks, tank-top shirts, and shorts. Many of the modern basketball uniforms are made up of lightweight and moisture-wicking materials. Thus, these uniforms offer ultimate body moisture management and temperature control.

All famous teams have their own traditional uniforms that make them famous. Basketball uniforms for men and women have the same basic designs. Each player's uniform has a number for identification, which is displayed on both sides of the shirt. Sometimes the name of the player is also displayed on the back of his shirt. The team name is imprinted across the chest. All teams have one or more alternate uniforms. The home team usually wears white or a light-color uniform, and the visiting team wears a dark color. Most teams upgrade their uniform designs each season.

Uniforms are usually well designed and are manufactured from synthetic fabrics like nylon, rayon, and polyester. Often, basketball uniforms are made of two layers in matching or contrasting colors. There are also uniforms made of polyester dazzle cloth, which looks like satin. The styles of basket ball uniforms vary widely from V-neck to round neck and from sleeveless to tank to cap-sleeved uniforms. Some basketball uniforms may feature mesh sides, which provide more aeration, or solid sides. Shorts are available in styles with drawstrings or elastic waistbands and also in reversible fabric. Basketball uniforms are available in all possible colors; some companies offer a pick-and-choose approach to designing your own uniforms like custom lettering.

NBA rules say that when each player is introduced, he must be uniformly dressed, and all coaches must wear a sport coat or suit coat. While on the court, players must keep their uniform shirts tucked into their pants, and no T-shirts are allowed. NBA rules prohibit shorts from being longer than one inch above the knee.

Most basketball uniforms are sold by the piece. Basketball uniform marketing has become a profitable industry, as more and more fans want to wear their favorite teams' jerseys.

Basketballs provides detailed information on Basketball Sizes, Basketballs, Imprinted Basketballs, Nike Basketballs and more. Basketballs is affiliated with Volleyball Clipart.

Basketball Defensive Skill Drill - Try This Basketball Defensive Skill Drill To Lock Down Opponents

2007-10-08T00:53:00.001-07:00

Coaches actually care more about defense than offense and that's why doing some basketball defensive skill drills like this one will always help your game

By being able to force them into doing low percentage, tough shots will serve the same purpose.

The secret to a defensive skill drill like this is making sure you make it extremely hard for your opponent to get a shot. Wear him out and make him tired.

Of course, all of this is only possible if you always stay in front of your opponent.

How To Predict What Your Basketball Opponent Is Going To Do

Your opponent can only ever go where their abs will take them so it's imperative to keep a close eye on their abs.

Don't be lazy on the court. You need to play defense with more than your hands. You need to move your feet as well.

Steal The Ball When It's Moving The Slowest

The basketball is always moving slowest when it is on the up bounce and this is also the time when your opponent has the least control.

When defending make sure you get as wide and as low as you can. This will give you max ability to stay in front of your defender.

By practicing these defensive skill drills you will instantly see improvements in your defense and the defense of your team.

Information About FIBA - Part 1

2007-10-05T02:27:00.001-07:00

FIBA is the governing body for international basketball. It maintains its own set of rules to help govern the association, which is made up of 212 countries and over 450 million players. As of 2006, Carl Men-Ky Ching of Hong Kong serves as President of FIBA, and Patrick Baumann of Switzerland is the Secretary General.

The organization’s offices are located in Geneva (opened in 2002). As they moved into their new facilities, they also launched a new website and began development on a new strategy that would take them through the year 2010.

Teams that participate in the various federations associated with FIBA come from across the globe, including teams from Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe, and Oceania. The federation has its own research and study group for the materials and equipment used in basketball, as well as to promote the building and maintenance of standard facilities. This Study Centre also provides publications offering technical assistance. Their goal is to achieve high quality and high-tech facilities that are safety conscious.

FIBA’s website offers information on approved manufacturers for basketball equipment, including the popular adidas brand of basketball, which seems to be the standard. They have a strong marketing team that is very involved in promoting the sport and other various issues.

Additional articles for the sports fans are located at EasyBaseballBetting.

Basketball Plays

2007-10-04T01:52:00.001-07:00

The game of basketball is great to watch and play. Most of the time basketball players try to score on offense by making-up plays as they go. Sometimes, usually when a team needs a basket, the coach decides that he wants to run one of many set basketball plays that all teams practice.

There are many different types of basketball plays that can be called while a team has the ball. Some plays involve the ball handler being isolated against a defender. Other plays involve just one or two passes and then a shot. Still other basketball plays call for the offense to run a certain motion with picks, back cuts, or anything else the play might call for.

The time of the game when a play is almost always called is when the game is about to end and the offense needs a basket. Usually these basketball plays aren’t pre-set plays (plays that are known and practiced); often these plays are drawn-up during a timeout. A coach will decide which player he/she wants to take the last shot and then the coach will also consider what defense will probably be played (man defense or a variety of zones). Then the coach will devise a play to get the player of choice the final shot.

Basketball plays aren’t just for the offense, they can also be run by the defense. An example of a defensive play is a half court trap. For this play, as soon as the ball handler dribbles the ball over the half court line, two defenders will try to trap the offensive player against the half court line. Since the ball can’t be brought back across the half court line after it’s crossed into the offensive side of the court (that would be a back court violation) the ball handler is left with no choice but to turn the ball over, try to pass the ball, or call a timeout.

Organized basketball plays aren’t run on every offensive possession. Plays are usually only called when a team really needs to score because they haven’t scored in a while or the first half or the game is almost over. Basketball plays can be set plays that are worked on in practice or they can be drawn-up by a coach during a timeout while the game is being played.

Defensive basketball plays can also be called during a game. Usually defensive plays are used as a surprise. They are meant to force the offense into a turnover.

Called basketball plays aren’t run all the time during a game but they are run by both the offense and defense several times a game. The coach decides if and when he wants a play to be run and then he calls the play.

Coach Anderson's passion is coaching basketball. You can find more of his basketball plays on his blog:

http://www.online-basketball-drills.com

Visit the blog above to discover the 3 basketball plays Coach Anderson NEVER runs with his team.

Women's College Basketball - History and Background

2007-10-01T00:07:00.001-07:00

It is well known that basketball was invented in 1891 by Dr. James Nesmith, but what is not so well known is the history of women's basketball. The inaugural women’s college basketball session was actually part of a physical education class at Smith College for girls in Conneticut.

The very first women’s college basketball game took place at Smith College for girls in 1893 where the freshman played against the sophomores. Unlike women’s college basketball games today, the game actually took place behind locked doors and men were prohibited from watching.

The rules of this first women’s college basketball game were altered from those of the original men’s version to enhance teamwork. The court had 3 zones and three players from each team of nine were allowed in each zone but could not move out of their zone. Funnily enough, these early restrictions in the women’s college basketball game are strikingly similar to the game of netball that is played by schoolgirls and women all over Europe.

Women’s college basketball began to spread quickly and the first game between two different women’s college basketball teams was played in April 1896 with Stanford beating Berkley. There were still 9 players on each women’s college basketball team in this inter-college game but instead of keeping the original rule where a player could only hold the ball for 3 seconds and must dribble it 3 times before passing this was changed so that a player could not run more than 5 feet before having to pass the ball. Once again, however, as with the first women’s college basketball game, men were not allowed to watch the game.

The formal rules of women’s college basketball were first produced in 1901 and went through numerous changes before developing into the game that is played today. One of the most interesting aspects of the early women’s college basketball games is that the basket was sewn shut so that the umpire had to remove the ball from it every time it was put through the hoop.

The familiar indoor basketball court that today’s women’s college basketball teams play on was not always made available to the women for a couple of decades after the sport began. Some women’s college basketball teams had to play on grass courts outside and did not have the chance to play on an indoor court at all.

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Basketball Party Games, Adding Style To Your Basketball Party

2007-10-01T00:06:00.001-07:00

Basketball Party Games are nothing but pure fun in the Basketball Party. If you are planning for a Basketball Party, then you must sit down with your friends to think of the innovative basketball games so as to make sure that everyone in the party has fun and feel that this is the best party ever that they have been a part of.

Who Can Make A Basket

This Basketball Party Game is for all of your guests to participate. To put it in simple words, we can say that there is no escape in here and everyone is a part of it. The rules are simple, everyone is going to have a chance to stand as a line in your backyard and try to score by throwing the basketball to make a basket. There will be two tries for warm up and then the game starts after that, every individual is going to get two chances at first and then through the process of elimination, the last man standing is going to win the game and will get the prize.

Make A Song

This can be a very unique Basketball Party Game. In this game, you can ask the guests as to who would love to make a basketball song in the given time and sing. For this you must have an individual who can give the beats on the song so it sounds really exciting. After the given time, you can ask the different guests to come up on the stage one by one and sing their song, and with the show of hands of all the guests, you will have the winner of the game. This game is going to provide fun and laughter throughout.

You can think of different Basketball Party Games other than these and having creative games at your party is going to provide a lot of fun for all.

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Betting Galore in Basketball Games

2007-10-01T00:05:00.001-07:00

Basketball is a very popular sport in America and its popularity has also spread to South America, Asia, and Europe. With its widespread popularity, a new genre of game also has become a rage, that is basketball betting.

Basketball betting has become increasingly common with the advent of Internet betting. At the click of a mouse, gamblers worldwide are making money by betting in record numbers.

Betting has caught up fast because it gives novice or seasoned gamblers the chance to earn money in addition to enjoying the game on television. And what’s more, these gamblers have 100 games or options to choose from for betting. One can bet on half-quarter of a game or point spread or spread full game. There are around 30 National Basketball Association teams and around 200 college basketball teams. Such betting is pretty frequent and happens every week during the basketball season.

NBA was founded in 1946 and is the foremost and leading sports league in North America. NBA season normally lasts from late October to the month of June. The best way to bet in such seasons is not to give over weightage to any team. Being a pretty long season, there can be inconsistency among the best players and who knows the worst team may end up showing a winning streak!

NBA basketball betting can be lucrative if proper homework and analysis is done around the game. People usually go for basketball betting because it comprises a week’s action unlike a football game, which lasts for two days of action, Saturdays and Sundays.

NBA Betting Systems - Betting Galore in Basketball Games

How Do You Get Instant Massive Basketball Exposure?

2007-09-11T19:50:00.001-07:00

How do you get massive exposure and get some of the top college and pro recruits beating down your door and Filling your mailbox full of scholarships and contracts?

Great question. And It's not as hard as you think!

I have always said and believed that the Greatest basketball player in the world will do nothing unless the right people, and I mean the right people know of him.

You see,one of the most important aspects of basketball ( exposure) has been completely neglected for centuries...

THEY ALWAYS SAY JUST GO play on a Travel Team and you will get noticed...

you have a better shot at making a full court, behind the back, with a blind fold shoot!

While travel teams will help, most of the scouts that attend the games already have an idea of who they are looking for, most of the time they are there because t hey know one or two of the players and are just checking up on how there " merchandise" is doing.

I have a better, more productive way of getting massive exposure and having your name spreading like wild fire to thousands of coaches, scouts and teams.

Don't believe me? See what this baller had to say:

First A College Scholarship and Now a Pro Contract!

"Hey Rali,

I just wanted to say Thank you so much for Introducing me to the Go Basketball Pro System and allowing for my basketball Dreams To come True.

You First helped me get a Division 1 College Basketball Scholarship to TCU which I can Not Thank you Enough. But now You have Helped me Get A Pro Contact Over In Brazil.

Again Thank you so much....

Your basketball system is so pro found and effective I can NOT BELIEVE you have even Shared the secrets you posse and allow it to be so easy to get your remarkable system.

I know that I am well on my way to getting in the NBA and to be honest I owe it all to you.

Without your knowledge and expertise I would Just Be another regular average Basketball Player.

Hope you are having great success, I will see you in A few Months when I Come back down to Miami.

Judson Stubbs Professional Basketball Player Former Division 1 All star

Amazing Isn't it!

This baller came form a No NAME Community College down in Miami, and I helped Him get a D-1 Scholarship To TCU, and then I Got him a Pro Contract Over In Brazil...

Now I know Brazil is not the NBA, But he is playing pro ball and getting paid for something he loves...

Plus,now he has an opportunity to get his name out there and Participate In NBA Workouts...

I know what your next question Is....

How Did I Do It? Whats my secret?

You Want to Know My secret?

Okay Here it is....

One of the easiest, but most effective ways you can get scouts and recruits Knowing of you and attending all your games is by contacting them...

That's' Right, contacting them.

But there is a system you have to follow...

Here is the system: First you have to really know what your game is like, what you do great and what you do horrible...

What is your niche... Ask your coach, other coaches, teammates, parents, get as much info as you cane...

Then you need to do some research...

Go on the Web at start looking at different schools and teams, see what there roster is like, and see all the years the players have been there...

This is a great way for you to secretively find out what that team is looking for, and what they are interested in...

let's use an example...

If you are a point guard, that is small, but has a lot of skills

like you can really shoot the ball, dribble under control and pressure and have a low turnover to assist ratio, and you find a team where their starting point guard is in his last year, and they had a high average of turnovers last year, and their reserve point guard isn't all that good...

Then you found a Goldmine...

You are exactly what that team needs and is looking for!

But now if that team has three guards, that were High school All Americans, and none of them are higher then sophomores..

Then you better move on... they already have your spot filled!

This is what I call being Pro Active... It is the difference between PLAYING HARD AN PLAYING SMART...

It is also the difference between most of the players that get scholarships, and most of the ones that end up Sitting at home, watching ESPN...

So now you know that that team need someone like you, now you can begin contacting them.

Stay tuned for Part 2 Of this Course which Will Be Next Week.

Start researching some teams, and start asking coaches, trainers, players and parents what they think of you game so you can get progress report to use when researching those teams..

Your Coach Rali Todd www.gobasketballpro.com

Rali Todd is a professional basketball performance coach and has been helping all age and level ballers over the past 6 years to take their game to the next level and dominate the hardwood. He has had extensive work with a a few pro teams and players improving all aspects of their game. to get the exact program Rali has developed to unleashing basketball potential visit http://www.gobasketballpro.com for his #1 basketball developmental program.

Sports - America's Obsession

2007-09-11T19:48:00.001-07:00

If you watch situation comedies, the one thing that you will notice, or at least should notice, is that situation comedies make fun of real life situations. That's why they're funny, because they're all about things we can relate to. On an episode of "Home Improvement" Jill asks Tim if he's ready to go with her to some party. He replies by telling her he has to watch the game. Jill, seeing that he had just finished watching a game, says to him that she thought he had just done that. Tim's reply is, "That was the game BEFORE the big game".

Yes, America is obsessed with sports. It doesn't matter what the sport is even. Baseball, football, basketball, hockey, horse racing, you name it. If there is some kind of sporting event on the tube, you're typical American male can be seen sitting in front of that tube, remote in one hand and a cold beer in the other. And if you think that sounds like a situation comedy, then you haven't been to a typical American home with a wife, a husband and 2.5 children. It is more typical than you can imagine. That's why many American homes have more than one TV. The wife will lock herself inside one room watching her soaps, while the kids have a TV in their room to watch cartoons and the husband has his big screen TV all to himself to watch, well, whatever sporting event he can find.

And it doesn't even matter what time of year it is. There is ALWAYS something on the tube to watch. In the spring, summer and fall there is Major League Baseball. In the summer, fall and part of winter there's Professional Football. In the fall, winter and spring there is Pro Basketball and Pro Hockey. In the spring and summer there is the PGA tour. In fall, winter and spring there is the PBA tour. In the fall and spring there is horse racing. The list goes on and on. You can't turn on your TV set one day out of the 365 that science has given us without seeing something that resembles a sporting event.

The question we need to ask and answer if possible, is why? Why are American men so obsessed with sports? Many psychologists feel it is simply a male macho thing, to put it in layman's terms. The American male is so insecure about his own masculinity that he feels the only way to show the world that he is indeed a man is by watching sports. Some men take this to extremes in that they will only watch sports that are considered "cool" sports or the ones that only "real" men watch. Football is right up at the top of this list because it is so violent. A man who sits in front of his TV with a beer watching a football game is a "real" man. Nobody would ever dispute that.

The truth is, nobody really knows why American men are so obsessed with sports. Maybe the answer is simpler than what we keep searching for.

Maybe they just like sports.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Sports

Has David Stern Forgotten the Working Man?

2007-09-11T19:47:00.001-07:00

David Stern the commissioner of the NBA wants to impose a Dress Code on the Players. A Dress code for a sport that is played in Shorts and tank tops. Will this Dress Code Backfire on commissioner Stern.

David Stern wants to upgrade the image of the NBA by imposing a "Corporate Dress Code" on NBA Players. Currently NBA Players can wear anything they want in public. If David Stern has his way the players will be required to wear Slacks, Collared Shirts and Sports Jackets.

How is a Dress code going to change the quality of the games played on the hardwood. David Stern is under pressure to change the public image of the league in the Wake of the "Rumble in Detroit". Somehow he thinks that by requiring players to be more GQ in public this will help the public relations.

The GQ effect could backfire badly. Many basketball fans (The Average man and women on the street) are priced out of going to basketball games. They resent all the corporations with the luxury boxes and court side seats. Requiring the ball players to be more GQ may just put these fans over the edge and convince them that basketball is only a game for the corporate elite.

Sure you may get more money for the luxury boxes at the cost of TV Viewer ship and the revenue that goes with those TV packages. David Stern be careful what you ask for?

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How To Acheive Your Full Potential

2007-09-11T19:46:00.001-07:00

If you want to make more of your talents - live up to your full potential - you have to learn to use them. You have the power to change your habits - to acquire new skills and fully use the skills you now have. You can improve your performance, your productivity, and the quality of your whole life.

What makes a high achiever? Is it luck, intelligence, talent, dedication? All of these things figure in - they all make a difference. But we all know intelligent, talented, hard-working people who do not consider themselves very successful or even happy. And we know people who are not exceptionally bright but seem happy and successful.

So there must be something else, some secret to success. Actually there are several secrets to achieving your peak performance - living up to your full potential.

Your success at business is largely determined by your own self-image. Your unhappiness is something you choose. So, you're thinking no one chooses to be unhappy. Well, maybe not - but you have to consciously choose to be happy, self-confident, and successful.

Happiness is elusive when we go after it directly. So is self-confidence. Both seem to be more "side-products" than something you can achieve in and for itself. So how, then, can consciously choosing to be these things be of any value? Well, the secret is to focus on other things.

First, focus on your potential. Begin by making a complete and accurate assessment of your potential. To do this you must take an inventory of yourself - you will make a few lists. Sit down and make a list of all the things you can do well. Be honest with yourself. When that list is done, make a list of all the things you like to do, even if you think you can't do them well. Then, make a list of all the things you would like to do, if you could. Now list your hobbies.

Then, go back to the list of things you can do well. You are probably being much too hard on yourself. Most of us are. We have this little voice in our heads telling us things like: "You're so dumb," or "You can't learn to do that," or "You never do anything right," or similar nasty things. And even worse, we listen to that voice as if it's telling us the gospel truth. So now, shut off that voice - you can do it - and add a few more things to the list of things you can do well. Pretend you are your best friend - it's amazing how much more forgiving and charitable we are with our friends than we are with ourselves. Now that you are your best friend, you should be able to add a few more items to your "do well" list. But do be honest - don't list things you feel you really can't do well.

Next, go to your list of things you like to do but you feel you don't do well. Speaking as your own best friend, do you think there are some things on this list that could be moved to your "do well" list? There probably are. If you like to do it, chances are you do pretty well at it. Treat your hobby list in the same manner.

Next, go to your list of things you would like to do if you could. Ask yourself, "Why can't I do this, if I'd like to?" Put your reasons on another list. OK. So you have a lot of lists going - what good is that going to do? Well, you have just made an assessment of yourself. If you have been truly honest in making these lists, it may even be a fairly accurate assessment. Probably it isn't, but that's OK. This assessment isn't carved in stone. It's subject to change. But for now we will work with what's on the lists. At least you have a place to start.

Look over your lists again. You are focusing on all the things you feel you can't do and the reasons why you can't do them, right? Well, don't. FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN DO - FOCUS ON YOUR POTENTIAL. Make it a habit to focus on your strengths. Don't forget to include your undeveloped potential, as well. Train yourself to focus on your potential instead of your limitations.

Now that's not to say that you should ignore your list of reasons for not doing some of the things you would like to do. Not at all! But look at them from the viewpoint of your strengths. For instance, you'd like to play basketball but you think you are too short, so you don't even try. In this case, you are looking at it from the viewpoint of your limitations. Now, when you look at it from the viewpoint of your strengths, you would say, "Well, I may be pretty short to play, BUT I am fast. I can handle the ball well. I have a lot of stamina. I can't change being short, but I can refuse to let my limitations overcome my strengths."

You see the difference? Focusing on your limitations lets those limitations make your decisions for you. Focusing on your strengths lets YOU make the decision. To go back to our example: when you've decided to overcome your height limitations to play basketball - something you really want to do - you will be more determined to develop your strengths to compensate. You will do well, because you will be doing what you really want to do and you will be determined to develop the full potential of your strengths. Very few people concentrate on fully developing any of their strengths. That's where you will have the edge. You know your true disadvantages but your determination, your singleness of purpose, will inspire you to fully develop the talents and skills you do have.

OK. You probably have no interest in playing basketball. Then go to your assessment of yourself. What do you have a major interest in? What do you have a natural aptitude for? Go for it. Devote yourself to something you really like to do. Don't choose something just because you think you could make more money at it than you could by doing something else that you would really rather work at. You won't work to develop your full potential. You may start out with enthusiasm, but you will soon flag. It will be a chore to go to work. You'll probably find yourself hating to go. It'll be difficult to work on improving your skills because you don't like what you are doing. You probably won't be working up to your potential. Your success will probably be limited by your growing lack of interest and your happiness will surely be affected.

If, however, you devote yourself to something you really like to do, you'll enjoy your work, you'll be enthusiastic, and you'll probably find yourself working on improving your skills just for the sheer joy of it. You will be working to reach your full potential. You'll probably soon find you are making more money at this truly interesting occupation than you ever dreamed possible. And because you like what you are doing, you will be happier.

When you know you are working to your full potential and you enjoy your work and begin to feel successful, you will find that self-confidence and happiness soon follow.

But, you must be realistic and honest with yourself. If you set goals that you can't possibly reach, you are setting yourself up for failure. You will make yourself frustrated and unhappy. The key here is a realistic and honest assessment of your potential.

Although most people will be unnecessarily harsh in their assessments, it is easy to become too hopeful when you start breaking down barriers. If, for instance, you're extremely interested in and fond of music and would love to be a singer, it would be unreasonable to set a singing career as your goal if you can't sing a note (some talents are inborn). But if you are knowledgeable about the music business and would be happy being involved in some other capacity, then it would be reasonable to pursue a career in the business.

Be wary of making otherwise perfectly reasonable goals unattainable because of stringent time frames. When you set a goal, you will most likely set times for achieving certain steps along your way to achieving your final goal. Even if you don't set the time frames formally, you will probably have a pretty good idea of how long you are giving yourself. It's wise to sit down and formally set these goals. Think about it and give yourself reasonable time to achieve them. Make a deal with yourself to view these time limits as flexible.

Don't get discouraged if things don't work out as planned. Sometimes finding our place takes both time and error. All of us experience failures of one magnitude or another. The key is to view the failures as a learning experience - if nothing else, failures teach us what not to do. Remain flexible. As long as you keep focusing on your strengths and potential, the right thing will come along - and probably sooner rather than later. But don't quit at the first sign of boredom. Even if you have truly found your niche, you will not feel enthusiastic 100 percent of the time.

Don't worry about others - don't compare your progress with that of others. No matter how successful you are, there will be someone else who, to you, looks like she's got it made - who looks like she's getting where you want to go faster and easier than you are. Maybe she is. Maybe she isn't. Who cares? Focus on your own achievements. Work to develop your skills and talents to their full potential. Compete with yourself - your short term goals should be based on today's accomplishments. If you have reached Point A today, make Point B your next objective - improve yourself and don't worry about the other guy.

OK. You have decided what your ultimate goal is. Make sure it is a definitely defined goal. "Someday I want to be famous" just won't cut it. Define exactly what you want to do. Define a reasonable time frame. Know what you have to do to get there. You don't need to know every little detail, but you do have to have the big picture and many of the details. If you have a goal in mind but don't know what it takes to reach it, then you need to find out. Do some reading, talk to people who know, ask questions and LISTEN to the answers. Think that sounds like a lot of work? Well, remember what you are preparing for - your success and happiness. Surely you want to put a little effort into that! Anyway, a little reseach into what it will take for you to reach your goals isn't too difficult.

Train yourself into making this "research" the next focus of your life. You will be focusing on your strengths, on your purpose, and on learning and doing. If you have chosen a goal that is right for you, focusing on these things and devoting the necessary time should not be too difficult. It may take a bit of self-discipline at first, but your determination and interest will carry you through until the focusing process becomes a habit. When you have a real desire to accomplish something, initiatative should only require an occasional shove - but you may need to give it a nudge now and again.

Get into the habit of visualizing your success. Now sitting around and daydreaming in generalizations about it is not what we mean. You need to visualize specifics. To return to the basketball example, daydreaming about being carried off the court on your teammates' shoulders is just daydreaming. Picturing in your mind how you will work a play if your opponent makes a particular move, picturing your exact response to it, is visualizing specifics. If you run through specific moves in your mind, you will be prepared when the need for those moves arises.

Don't be afraid to use your imagination to visualize new and better ways to accomplish things, as well. Here in your mind, you can try doing things in ways that are different from the usual. This is a creative process - you may have heard of creative thinking. Training yourself to think creatively is largely learning to let your imagination work on methods that are different from the "way things have always been done." It's breaking away from the idea that a thing can be done effectively in only one way. It's looking at a problem from all angles. Just play a game of "what if." Ask yourself, "What if I did this thing this way?" It's OK to get a little crazy sometimes. But, you must also spend some of your thinking time at specific visualizations of the moves you need to make to accomplish your goals.

Visualizations are important but actual physical practice of your skills is important, too. Practice the boring little skills that are necessary as well as the skills that you enjoy. Don't let yourself rely on just the things that come naturally and easy to you. Develop your limited potentials as well as those that you feel are your assets.

Work on developing the more general attributes that are important to almost any goal:

Success comes more easily to those who have a pleasing personality. This is not to say that you should bend to eveyone's wishes or scrape and bow. Rather, develop an attitude that is respectful of other's opinions but true to your own beliefs. Be flexible - don't be so rigid that you can't accept another's opinion when it is superior to your own. Be willing, even eager, to learn from others. Changing your opinion in light of more facts is a sign of strength of character, not weakness. Be willing to extend a helpful hand, be a team player. Develop a sense of humor. Be polite and caring - but be your own person.

Learn to guard against emotional responses. You are susceptible to errors of judgement when you let your emotions get in the way. Of course, everything we do is done based somewhat on our emotions, but strong emotions have little place in decision making. Hold your emotions in check. Try to delay decisions if you are in an emotional state. Learn to ignore your emotions and use reasoning to arrive at your decisions.

Develop the habit of enthusiasm. Enthusiasm works like a magnet - it draws people and success. It's a pleasing personality trait that people like to be a part of. It seems to be contagious - the people around you become enthusiastic, too, and become more cooperative. Enthusiasm sparks initiative and singleness of purpose.

We've talked of working to develop habits - the habit of focusing on your goals, the habit of focusing on your strengths, the habit of learning and "researching," the habit of visualizing, the habit of enthusiasm. Now we will talk of habits in a little different light - breaking them. First, assess your habits looking for the ones that may be displeasing to others. Offensive habits can hold you back from success - they are often a part of an unpleasing personality. Look for things like grumbling or grunting at people instead of answering, gazing at anything but the speaker when conversing, smirking or sneering when you don't agree - anything that is an automatic, displeasing mannerism. It will be very difficult to assess your habits accurately. After all, a habit is something that we do without thinking much about it. You will have to spend some time at this and be very conscious of yourself. Ask someone you trust to help you with this assessment. It may take a lot of work to break yourself of displeasing habits. Try substituting a different, more pleasing behavior for the habit you wish to break.

OK. You have set definite goals, you have a definiteness of purpose, you have researched and know the specific steps to take to achieve the goals, you have resolved to be flexible and to develop a more pleasing personality. Now what?

Well, just because you have a clear purpose, know what you want, are willing to work on developing your potential, and willing to be a nice person, success will not drop into your lap overnight.

Be prepared to face people who are not calm and reasonable. Don't let them get to you. Remain calm and reasonable and even be a little sympathetic. Suppose you have an irate customer even though you have done nothing wrong. Just remain calm and offer a solution that will benefit your customer. Never let an irate customer make you forget to be professional.

Play "Let's Make A Deal." Be prepared to deal. Don't expect to get everything you want. If you are willing to gracefully make some concessions, you will be more likely to arrive at a satisfactory deal. After all, a negotiation has at least two opposing sides. This means someone else has something they want, too - even if that something is simply to leave things as they are. Arrive at a compromise that everyone can live with. Remember, you are working at long-range goals, and you may be negotiating with them again.

Developing your potential more fully is a key to happiness and fulfillment. All of us have untapped potential - perhaps even areas of genius - that we have neglected to develop. Whether your concept of success has to do with business, love, friendship, sports, a combination of these or something else, more fully developing your potential will help you achieve your goals. When you acheive your goals you will be a happier person.

DeAnna Spencer is a virtual assistant that helps entrepreneurs run a successful business by providing affordable administrative help. She also publishes a blog for small business owners. Visit this small business resource today.

Overview On The Establishment Of A Sports Franchise

2007-09-11T19:45:00.001-07:00

When you are into sports and you want to organize sports activities for young individuals, then you might want to start your own sports franchise. When you are an athletic person and you love to share your enthusiasm on outdoor athletic activities, this business opportunity is convenient for you. This will be your chance to reach out to kids and youths who want to participate in organizations. You can set up an after-school program for children of all ages, and see them live out their dream of becoming the next big thing in the world of athletics.

Establishing your own sports franchise will enable you to do a lot of things, other than managing your business. You will be able to help the children learn the values of camaraderie, sportsmanship, and clean fun. With the activities that you have organized, you will be able to provide them with a time to apply their passion for playing. Catering to the likes of young boys and girls require you to set up play schedules which are convenient and easy for them to follow. Furthermore, the activities should be safe and fun yet, competitive enough for them.

It won't be a huge problem when you want to start your own sports franchise. The costs are low, plus you will be trained on how to run the business. You will be taught on how to organize a game time for the kids, wherein there is a countdown process that you have to follow. You will also be allowed to check out your territorial field. Don't think that you will be managing this on your own. You will be assisted by a support coach and franchise experts. They will guide you through the activities that you have set up for the children.

A sports franchise is convenient for you, especially when you have a family. You can set up work hours which will allow you to attend to their needs and, at the same time, work out with your team. There are hundreds of young kids and teens who want a chance to play in sports activities. When you have your own team because you have a franchise, you are giving them the opportunity to make this possible.

On the other hand, your sports franchise is protected, allowing you to make it grow over the years. Who knows, within a span of five years, you will have more than two teams to manage. Whatever sport you want to get into, volleyball; soccer; basketball; or baseball, you can organize your team towards victory.

The establishment of a sports franchise within the Philippines is not a well known sports business. There are a few people who are setting up this kind of investment. When you have your own, the competition is small, allowing you to earn a lot of income. With all the young Filipino children who want to play, business will surely be a boost. Plus, you will be able to steer these kids away from bad vices and juvenile delinquency.

Francisco Segurata owns and operates http://www.franchisephilippinesadvise.com and Franchise Philippines

Sports - The Dominant Wilt "The Stilt" Chamberlain

2007-09-11T19:43:00.003-07:00

Probably known as the most dominant basketball player in history is National Basketball Association hall of famer Wilt "The Stilt" Chamberlain. Throughout his career, Wilt captured multiple scoring titles and scored more points in a game than anyone in a professional level game ever. On top of a game scoring record, Wilt also scored the most points in a single season. These two individual scoring records alone are more than enough to be inducted to the Nation Basketball Association's Hall of Fame.

Early in Chamberlain's High School career, he drew much attention after scoring 90 points in a single game and then leading his Overbrook High School team to City Championships in 1954 and 1955. After being named to the high-school All-American team, Wilt attended the University of Kansas, where he twice earned All-American honors. He led his Kansas team to the championship game in 1957, but fell short in a loss to North Carolina in triple overtime. Chamberlain was frustrated with his college team and decided to turn professional but was not eligible until his college class graduated in 1959. Instead of just waiting for 1959 to come around, Wilt played one year with the Harlem Globetrotters and then began his first season in the National Basketball Association in 1960 with the Philadelphia Warriors.

Wilt Chamberlain's first NBA season was a very successful one, averaging 37 points per game and 27 rebounds a game, which led the league in both categories. Achieving these statistics in his rookie season won him Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player honors. The team as a whole over the next few years could not obtain a championship despite the dominance of Wilt Chamberlain. During the 1961-1962 in a game against the New York Knicks, Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points and is the highest number scored in a game still to this day. In 1963 the Warriors relocated to San Francisco and one year later Wilt was traded to Philadelphia, which was a team now known as the 76ers. When 1967 came around, Wilt and the 76ers captured the NBA championship title by defeating his former team, the San Francisco Warriors in six games. That same year, Wilt Chamberlain received his fourth and final Most Valuable Player award.

Traded to the Los Angeles Lakers the following year, Wilt was with a team full of great players and had high hopes for capturing an NBA championship there. It wasn't until 1972 when the Lakers won the championship though, but when it happened, Wilt was named the finals MVP. The next season would be Chamberlains last in the NBA at the age of 37. Wilt still managed to lead the league in rebounding in his final year and also set a field-goal percentage record, shooting 72.7%.

Wilt Chamberlain achieved many feats that very few players in NBA history have. Some may argue that there just wasn't enough big men at the time to compete with Wilt and that if he would have played with today's players, it would be a different story. On the other hand, many more sport's writers would agree that he would still dominate in today's game, just not as much. Unfortunately, Wilt Norman Chamberlain passed away on October 12, 1999 at the hands of a heart attack in Los Angeles, California at his home.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Sports

Slam Dunk – How to Jump Higher to Dunk a Basketball

2007-09-11T19:43:00.001-07:00

Slam dunk or simply dunk is a basketball shot. This generally requires the capability of the player to jump high in the air and give power to the ball with one or both of his hands. For achieving two points field goal, the player should know how to jump higher to dunk a basketball and simultaneously the player has to grab the rim as soon as the ball passes the hoop. A player capable to jump higher can attempt many slam dunk and many such slam dunk can be converted into field goals. The viewers also prefer these moves of basketball.

If you are trying to what slam dunk is or how to jump higher to dunk in a basketball, you can search the phrase at any of the search engine such as google, yahoo or msn. If you are a basketball player, you probably need to know how to jump higher to dunk in basketball. There are various exercises available to you to increase your higher jump and dunk especially if you are a basketball player.

Some of the exercises are extremely beneficial for all players including basketball players, baseball players, volleyball players, track and field and tennis players. In addition to the improvement in sport activities the overall personality and confidence of the players also increases that is good for sports persons. Due to these multilevel improvements the sports person can achieve the higher goals in sports and other goals in their life.

Although for increasing high jump to dunk a basketball, you have to follow the specific exercises but at the same time the routine and common exercise such as jogging, weight and power lifting are essential for maintaining general physique. You should regularly follow any other exercise that you are doing at the time of initiating specific exercises for increasing your vertical leap

Although there are many exercises available to you, but the most successful exercise is claimed to be plyometrics. This exercise is an established has shown proven result. The exercise is aimed

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Some Of The Reasons True Sports Fans Are Flipping Over HDTV

2007-09-11T19:42:00.001-07:00

HDTV is a must have for any sports fan. Having this new technology is just like being at the game in which you are watching and it has made sports history. ESPN has been a leader in making HDTV possible for the sports they broadcast. March 30, 2003 saw to the very first broadcast of a Major League Baseball game to the Anaheim Angels and the Texas Rangers in HDTV. ESPN although to be the leader in worldwide sports, has changed its network to be the world wide company to broadcast in the medium as well.

Picture quality and the way the resolution appears is one reason why they are changing to High Density TV. It makes you feel as if you were on the court or field of which you are seeing. You can view every area of the game as viewed on this new source; you will think that you are really there. With progressive image technology, the whole screen is filled up with picture so it will show you as if you are really there. The picture seen on a TV equipped with the new technology is five times greater than a regular TV would show you. Colors are high and text is very legible. There is no comparison with an HDTV to a regular TV

The sound quality is almost more advanced than the picture is. A lot of programs have surround sound so you can enjoy hearing everything about the game. Every game you watch will give you IMAX quality near perfection. Hear the clapping of the basketball shoes as the players run down the court, hear the swish of the ball as it passes through the net of the basketball hoop. The loudness of the fans will make you start believing that you are at the game.

What do you think the next reason is that fans are changing to the high quality of HDTV? Answer, they want the very best of sports coverage that the TV and ESPN have to offer them. When did my friend get his High Density TV? As soon as “Gears of War” came out and of course the Super Bowl. Digital television service was a go in 1998. As of 2005, digital TV sets were outselling the old TV by millions. The Consumer Electronics Associates said that in 2006, HDTV outnumbered the number of regular TV’s that were sold in this country. How good the picture is and how good the sound is, according to a sports fan are the two reasons why fans and people across the nation are changing to HDTV. Go out and get yours today and enjoy the TV and wait for football season.

Gregg Hall is an author living with his beautiful wife and family in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about sports as well as sports collectibles at http://www.merchandiseforsportsfans.com

Minor Components of Physical Fitness

2007-09-11T19:41:00.001-07:00

There are five components of physical fitness, muscular strength and endurance, cardiovascular strength, flexibility and body composition. There are however also minor components of physical fitness that are just as important to training and improving your health and wellness. These minor components of physical fitness include balance, coordination, agility and reaction time. Most sports require athletes to be fit in each of these components, to play at a competitive level. In fact, without these minor components of physical fitness you may find that you are more prone to injury and your performance is substandard.

Balance is important to most sports that require you are off your feet and on an animal or wheels. However, balance isn’t to be overlooked in sports that require a significant amount of lateral movement such as basketball or tennis. Good balance will keep you upright and safe in many different situations when you are wheels or your feet. There are specific ways of increasing your balance for each sport. In cycling you can improve your balance by using rollers. On roller blades you can improve your balance by attempting an increased challenge level trail. Using an exercise ball to improve core muscle strength and a trampoline can also help to improve balance.

The second minor component of physical fitness is coordination. This is an extension of balance but is in fact the ability of muscles to function in harmony in motion. This harmony can only be achieved if the equipment being used is properly adjusted and fit to your body. If the blades on your skates aren’t smooth your coordination and balance will be affected. If your bike is too tall or too small your muscles won’t work in harmony.

Many athletes require agility for their sport. This minor component of physical fitness often means the difference between winning and losing. Agility can be both mental and physical. Moving through a strong basketball defensive line requires the ability to see the scene, pick the correct route and move. These are split second decisions that the athlete may not even recall making. But they are important.

The final minor component of physical fitness is reaction time. This is the ability to respond to a stimulus quickly and appropriately. When you adjust your steering on your bike, spin quickly to the left to avoid a defender on the basketball court or adjust your speed and direction while running on the football field you are using your reaction time. This requires your brain to register that there is an obstacle in your path, send a message to the correct muscles and for the muscles to contract correctly and in the right order.

Sports such as biking, basketball, kayaking, soccer and skating incorporate both of the five major components of physical fitness and the minor components of physical fitness.

Bob Cotto has over 35 years experience in Senior Sales and Marketing Management positions with a variety of companies, such as We The People (largest legal document preparation franchise in US), IRM (retirement planning company for educators), Live Marketing (leading international trade show marketing company), Cigna Securities (broker dealer arm for insurance giant) and many others. For each of these companies, he's led the sales and marketing teams to triple digit record breaking growth year after year. If there's one thing he understands, its business. And that's why he KNOWS that the Ultimate Business In A Box has everything you’ll need to succeed.

Is it Easier to Get a Scholarship Playing One Sport or More?

2007-09-11T19:40:00.001-07:00

This is a good question that a number of young athletes face. You’re only 16 once and you want to enjoy everything high school has to offer. You meet new friends go to different places and learn new things playing different sports. Some are individual and some are team oriented and there are valuable experiences that you will take from each.

Yet, your main goal is to play sports at the next level and get an athletic scholarship. Then you better consider choosing one sport. As difficult as it is to make what seems to be an important decision when you’re so young can have a long term impact. Say you are good enough if you concentrated year round on a single sport to get an athletic scholarship. Four years of the average athletic scholarship at a public school can range in the hundreds of thousands of dollars and much more for a private school.

Most sports will require you to have a year-round conditioning and weigh training program just to compete. You also better be playing for a club team or travel team year round. To get basketball scholarships, volleyball scholarships, soccer scholarships, baseball scholarships, etc. you must play in AAU, Junior Olympics and travel tournaments.

As if a high school student athlete doesn’t have enough to consider at that age it’s something the serious athletes should consider. Some colleges will commend the fact that you are multi talented and play multiple sports. Also they'll consider the fact that you can get along with a number of different teammates, so just do what you love and the scholarships will come.

Author is from http://recruitcity.com

Dwight Howard Dunk or How to Increase Vertical Jump

2007-09-11T19:39:00.001-07:00

Have you seen Dwight Howard’s Kiss The Rim Dunk? What about the 2007 Slam Dunk Contest where he completed an alley oop dunk from teammate Jameer Nelson and slapped a sticker onto the backboard which reached 12 ft 6 in?!

Or, did you know that the 21-year old Orlando Magic Center had the most dunks in the NBA last season (254, that are 508 out of his total 1,443 points last season, or 35 percent)? Ok, by now it’s clear the guy can jump – actually he has a 39-inch vertical.

So, what is his training about?

First of all, Dwight is a Rebounding Machine. And battling for rebounds takes more than great ups. First and foremost you need strong lower-back muscles to explode to the ball. That's why The Beast includes back extensions or single-leg deadlifts in every workout. But besides these exercises, Dwight also uses some special, plyometric exercises to improve his vertical:

Tuck Jump:

Starting position: half-squat position with your hips back, knees over toes, and shoulders over your knees. Keep your hands out in front of you for balance. Then jump up as high as you can and bring your knees to your chest at the top of the jump. Land with hips back and shoulders over your knees. Hold this position for 2 seconds and repeat the jump.

Squat Jump:

Starting position: squat position with hands touching the ground in front of your toes with your feet shoulder-width apart. Your knees should be bent at 90 degrees. Then, jump as high as you can and land with your hips back, knees over your toes in the starting position. Immediately repeat the jump for 15 seconds.

Besides weight training, what does the 6’11’’ Center do to gain his inhuman strength? "Every night I play a boxing video game (Fight Night Round 2). In between each round I do 20 to 40 push-ups." – Dwight Howard

Dwight averages about 10 matches a night, at anywhere from two rounds to 12. His estimate: 400 push-ups a night.

For more exercises and crucial things to know about vertical jump (f.e. why often what you “don’t” do is more important then what you “do” do) please take a look at this page I strongly recommend:

http://www.howtodunk.org

personal trainer

Breaking Down the Game, Vol 1 - Footwork

2007-09-11T19:38:00.001-07:00

This article represents the first in a series of fundamentals of the game of basketball. My decision to write this series represents my commitment to proper instruction in youth basketball. The game must be broken down into small pieces and needs to be coached in this manner. Footwork is one of the foundations that all players must have play.

Footwork is applied in so many ways in basketball. As an example, think of a 1 year old child attempting to walk for the first time. Their mind tells them to walk and their upper body moves forward, but the feet cannot follow. As they grow, the feet slowly catch up to the rest of the body. With more growth the child can begin to walk, run, and move with no thought or hesitancy. As a young person begins to play sports they face another challenge. The particular movements and footwork that are required take on an entirely new set of learning experiences.

This is where a good coach can make all the difference. Instead of saying, "Billy is so uncoordinated, he'll never be able to play," a coach can say, "Billy is challenged by poor footwork now, but with specific teaching and drills, Billy can close the gap with improved footwork." So why do a lot of coaches, especially youth coaches not take this kind of approach with kids. There are many reasons, but lack of knowledge, patience, and time must rank up there as reasons why sport specific footwork is not a priority at the youth level.

In basketball, footwork can be improved in a multitude of ways. Generally, the jump rope, ladder, and agility exercises are good and can help. Specifically for basketball, let's look at the ways that footwork can be enhanced.

1. Balance--This is an area that cannot be overlooked. Almost every mistake in basketball has to do with an athlete attempting to make a play out of balance. I've found video tape of NBA games a good tool for getting young players to work on their balance. When they see the world's best players making mistakes by having bad balance, it seems to make an impact.

2. Pivoting--To pivot properly a player must be on balance. Assuming he is, the art of the pivot must be taught and never taken for granted. So many times during a game the pivot is used. Players need to know how to pivot, when to pivot, and why they need to pivot. Learning and using the forward pivot and reverse pivot are necessary parts of gaining confidence as a young player.

3. Jump Stop--This is an abused area of youth basketball. If I walked out on the floor today with a team of youth players, this would be one of the first concepts I would teach. Players must understand that when their momentum moves forward while dribbling the ball, their friend is the jump stop. To transition from a full speed dribble to a sudden stop can only be accomplished with the jump stop. The jump stop is also important when screening, as proper screening is executed by "running" to screen, then coming to a sudden stop with your feet apart. It must be taught very early on and is one skill that can cut down on mistakes like traveling, bad passes, and charging more than any other area. If you want to clean up your team's game, teach them all how to properly execute the jump stop.

4. Catching and Triple Threat Position--Just to get open on the wing takes precision footwork. Once the ball is caught, the player squares up facing the basket. This is call triple threat position because he can pass, dribble, and shoot from that spot. When catching, a pivot foot needs to be established. Which foot is the pivot foot depends on how your are taught, but most of the time the inside foot is your pivot foot. This allows you to "move" legally and without traveling. With a foot anchored, you can pass fake, shot fake, and sweep the ball in front of the defender. You can actually cover about 8 feet laterally by crossing over your free foot from right to left or left to right. This is an excellent way to show young players the power and value of the pivot foot, balance, and footwork.

5. Offensive moves-- Whether you play on the perimeter or the post, the pivot is an essential part of every move you will make. The simplest moves in basketball rely on balanced footwork. When you take the defender off the dribble on the wing, you are employing the pivot foot, balance, triple threat position, and proper footwork. This is EXACTLY why we must teach young players the fundamentals before teaching moves and plays. Fundamentally, this is what has gone awry in youth basketball. We have the cart before the horse and the result is a deteriorating game, void of solid fundamentals. In the post the same emphasis on balance and footwork exist, just closer to the basket. All players, regardless of skill, size, position or level need a constant diet of work on balance and footwork.

My passion is to coach coaches on how to properly teach this game. In that sentence is the crux of what needs to be done on the youth basketball front. If we could get committed coaches to value the teaching above our game would move ahead by leaps and bounds. If we don't, the world will leave us in the dust. From where I stand the dust has already started to gather.

Randy Brown has passion for the game of basketball. He works as a basketball consultant and mentor for coaches. Visit him at http://www.coachrb.com for free resources, Q & A, newsletter, and coaching programs. A speaker and writer, he has authored 75 articles on coaching and is nationally published. His 18 years in college basketball highlights a successful 23-year career. Mentored by Basketball Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson at Arizona. Resume includes positions at Arizona, Iowa State, Marquette, Drake, and Miami of Ohio, 5 Conference Championships and 5 NCAA appearances. His efforts have helped develop 12 NBA players including Steve Kerr, Sean Elliott, and Jaamal Tinsley. To contact Randy, email him at rb@coachrb.com.

Are Talented Players Necessarily Good Investments?

2007-09-11T19:36:00.001-07:00

0Over the past few decades, we have seen an astronomical rise in professional athletes’ salaries. For example, during the 1960’s the minimum wage for a baseball player was $6,000, while the league average was somewhere in the ballpark of $19,000. Now, however, players with the most meager of salaries make about as much as the President of the United States. As a result of the jump, the league average is now roughly $1.5 million.

Now, I’m not here to question whether or not players actually deserve the salaries they receive. After all, this is America. We are capitalists. Enough said. However, when it comes to spending so much money on one player, it is vastly important to choose the right kind of player. Otherwise, a team may as well flush the money right down the toilet.

So, what kind of player is a good investment? Well, obviously the player needs talent. If a professional organization is going to shell out upwards of a million dollars, the player better be capable of performing. But, is that it? Can a player be immensely talented and be a good investment? Maybe. Take a look at the following players and tell me what the link is between them.

Rafael Palmeiro, Darryl Strawberry, Steven Jackson, Michael Vick, Pacman Jones, Tank Johnson and half of the Cincinnati Bengals’ team.

The common characteristic is that each of these players is very, very good at playing his respective sport. However, there is another common characteristic; and that is each of these players has had off-the-field problems of one type or another. Rafael Palmeiro had a steroids scandal. Darryl Strawberry struggled with a drug addiction. Steven Jackson, Pacman Jones, Tank Johnson and the Bengals have all run into trouble with the law. As a result of these improprieties, every single one of these players has all been out of commission for a lengthy period at one time or another. Essentially, when they have off-the-field problems, they are being paid for nothing. Furthermore, these types of players drag their team’s name through the mud and give them a questionable reputation. Any good investor will tell you that if you don’t earn a return on your investment, you made a bad decision and should change your tactics.

So, what change in tactics should recruiters implement? Well, in my opinion, recruiters need to look for talent as well as character. Take Derek Jeter for example. He is a stand-out player and a stand-up person off the field. Even though Jeter earns a lot of money, he is worth the investment. If recruiters would focus on both talent and character, they would have better results.

Nishan Wilde is VP of Sales at RobbinsSports.com, an online resource for Gym Bags and Portable Scoreboards

Basketball Shoes

2007-09-11T19:35:00.001-07:00

Playing basketball requires vigorous moves like running, jumping, side-to-side movements, blocking, and shooting. This involves a lot of wear and tear on shoes. In order to reduce wear and tear, basketball players need specially developed shoes, like basketball shoes.

Basketball shoes help in preventing lower body injuries by allowing the players to move quickly and by helping to transfer body weight. At the competitive, level you have to choose proper shoes.

Different players require different types of basketball shoes. Some players, especially power players, need shoes with high tops with maximum ankle support and comfort. Some others, like all-around players, need mid-sole shoes. Speedsters need lightweight, low-top shoes with no restriction of the ankles. Many players use tennis shoes for playing basketball, but there are risks in wearing these shoes, like the increased chance of sliding, becoming injured, and slowing down by weak grip.

Basketball shoes are made up of leather, synthetic leather, or canvas. The most frequently used material is synthetic leather, which is more durable and lightweight than natural leather. Some use only natural leather but these shoes have a tendency to stretch. Many basketball shoes have combinations of synthetic leather and natural leather or textile.

Team shoes feature a highly durable sock liner. Today, there are different styles of basketball shoes on the market. When buying a basketball shoe, the most important things to be noted are durability, support, traction, comfort, and style. There are different shoes for men and women.

Basketball shoes are more advanced than running shoes. When playing on a hardwood floor, you need shoes that provide good traction, both for forefoot and heel. The basketball shoe size must be suitable for the toes, arch, and heel. Many of these shoes have pillow-like landing pads with elastic quality. Many have heel plates for increased support. Basketball shoes are available in different colors or as team colors, and the pricing changes accordingly. These shoes can be purchased directly or online. The price of leather shoes ranges from $35 to $190 for a pair, but canvas shoes are available from as low as $17.

Basketballs provides detailed information on Basketball Sizes, Basketballs, Imprinted Basketballs, Nike Basketballs and more. Basketballs is affiliated with Volleyball Clipart.

Sports Clothes and Girls

2007-09-11T19:34:00.001-07:00

When women started entering the world of sports, they had to deal with a lot of prejudice. The then male dominated sports industry scoffed at the idea that women would be competing in various manly sports. They believe that the place of women were in the home and not in the track and field or diamond field. Well, nowadays you won't even think that women are incapable of competing in such "manly sports". Women today have shown as capable of dominating sports like track and field, tennis, basketball, etc.

But with due to the increasing number of women athletes, clothing manufacturers and sports experts have begun developing the right clothing for them. Women athletes have some specific needs that need to be addressed in order for them to compete properly in some sporting events. Researchers have come up with high-tech performance fabrics that help create sports apparel that are both comfortable and function for the women athlete.

A lot of sports stores today offer a complete line of women and girls sports apparel. You can find for example, sports bras made of spandex materials that feature high necklines which provide full coverage and maximum support. Designers have thought of incorporating arched seams and used the right combination of hook-and-eye closures to provide an extremely strong hold. Some sports bras also have wide elastic panels to keep the bra in place.

Aside from the serious women athletes, a lot of women out there enter sports just to have fun or just to stay fit. There are already a lot of women sportswear stores that cater to the needs of this group of women.

If you go to your nearest department store or sports clothing shop, it is almost certain that you'll find a number of sports fashion line that mixes together unique fabrics and the newest and hottest fashion designs. Fashion designers for years have been into designing sports clothing. They have created sportswear for the various types of women sport activities. These include aerobics, fitness activities, running, yoga, golf and tennis. The main premise that fashion designers try to uphold is for women enjoy a good work out while looking attractive and feeling sexy.

This only proves that sports shops should not limit their target market to professional women athletes. They have a wide market base of women who are simply into sports just for the heck of it. And these women are more than willing to spend to get the appropriate clothing. Sports clothing stores should also offer simple women sportswear like shirts, pants, shorts, as well as various accessories in a myriad of colors and designs.

Low Jeremy maintains http://sports-apparel.articlesforreprint.com This content is provided by Low Jeremy. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included.

Basketball For Beginners - Positions

2007-09-11T19:33:00.001-07:00

Though not specified anywhere within the rule books that there are certain positions which must be filled on the court, basketball has evolved into a very structured game where such positions have become an integral part of the game. Throughout the years, the positions have become more specific. During the first fifty years of the sport, teams generally populated the court with two guards, two forwards, and one center.

In the 1980’s the positions became more clearly defined, being renamed as five separate positions. The five men on court were now the point guard, the shooting guard, the small forward, the power forward, and the center. In certain plays, the center may be replaced with a third guard for a “three guard offense”.

There are two major defense strategies employed by professional basketball teams, one being a zone defense and the other a man-to-man defense. The zone defense strategy calls for players to maintain certain positions on the court and guard whichever player from the other team enters their “zone”. In a man-to-man defense, each player is assigned a specific opposing team member to guard and follows his actions all over the court in an attempt to keep his actions under control.

Peter Portero writes for easybaseballbetting and much more his articles can be found there.

Game of the Month: Milwaukee Brewers Vs. Arizona Diamondbacks

2007-09-11T19:32:00.001-07:00

We chose the Milwaukee Brewers 9/15/05 as our September Game of the Month and saw them bust out for 7 runs in the top of the 3rd inning to take an early 9-0 lead. They increased that lead to 12-0 in the fourth. This was a cakewalk and one of our easiest Game of the Month predictions.

Not only were the odds for these Brewers better than any standard basketball game, the probability for them to win was greater than every NBA basketball game I handicapped last season. We analyzed this game from a multitude of angles and saw absolutely no reason these Brewers should have been -104.

The spread for this game was set so low because the Brewers are not a team that is going to be supported by bettors especially on the road.

First, the Brewers have been playing well having won 6 games L10 going up against a struggling Diamondbacks from the weak NL West. The Brewers are an above 500 team against the NL West. The home field advantage is a legitimate argument in some cases but here it is not. The Diamondbacks are a lousy 30-41 at home. They have a better road record.

Second, the Brewers are motivated off of their loss last night. They lost in extra innings 2-1 with a multitude of opportunities to win the game. Ricki Weeks single-handedly lost them that game by having 7 LOBs and runners in scoring position several times with less than 2 outs. He went 0-for-5.

Third, the Brewers did show positive signs offensively as their meat of the order stepped it up for all but a couple of hits. All they needed was a couple of hits from the bottom or top of the orders to really make a run at getting a bunch of runs. The fact that they could not do this the night before actually bodes well for them today as they will focus on their offense and really hit lights out.

Fourth, the Brewers were sending out Tomo Ohka who has been a Gem for them this season. In his only outing against the Diamondbacks, he only gave up 1 earned run on 4 hits in a 3-0 losing cause. He pitched great but his offense let him down. This is another motivating factor for the offense in this game.

Fifth, history was on our side as there was a fantastic baseball betting system uncovered that the Brewers were a part of that indicated that they were undervalued by about 50 points and should have been -160.

Blindly betting systems may be good enough for your regular daily picks but it is important to combine that with in-season trends and observations to really make a huge play. As you can see, four strong arguments went into making this a fantastic play.

Visit our Free MLB Picks website.

Fixed or Growing?

2007-09-11T19:30:00.001-07:00

p>Right now consider some area of your life that you would like to improve in. It can be any type of activity; professional, athletic, scholastic, creative, etc. Got something in mind? Good, we will refer to that activity as X. Now consider which of these statements you agree with most:

A: People who are good at X are born that way; you either have it or you don't.

B: The reason some people excel at X is mostly because of their drive, focus, hard work and persistence.

Which one did you pick? According to psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck in her book Mind Set: The New Psychology of Success, you are going to be much better off if you picked B. In the book Dr. Dweck refers to two basic mindsets, fixed and growth, and how they impact on personal development.

Our culture places a lot value on the ability of standardized tests to predict future success. Do well on the I.Q. or SAT tests and it is assumed you will be the one living on the house on the hill. And if you are not showing athletic promise by the age of 7 or 8, you might as well forget about it.

Indeed we seem to prefer the belief that our shining stars virtually sprung from the womb in a high state of performance. And if at first you don't succeed, you're off the hook since it just wasn't meant to be. Yet it is this so?

Many sports writers and fans agree that Michael Jordan was possibly the best player ever in the game of basketball. If his gifts were entirely genetic, then why was he cut from his varsity team in high school? Apparently some aspects of his game were deficient yet the young Jordan did not give up. Instead he found a sympathetic coach who was willing to work with him for a couple of hours before school each morning in order to bring his skills up to par.

Obviously Jordan had considerable potential for his chosen sport, however it was his passion for basketball, a belief that his skills could be developed and a solid work ethic that made it happen. How often does some much heralded child or teen prodigy become yet another "whatever happened to" so and so?

Dr. Dweck notes the following differences between the fixed and growth mindsets.

Fixed: Your potential is set at birth. If you are good at something it should be effortless. Failure is a signal to either make excuses and cast blame, or just give up. A lot of effort is spent maintaining the façade of being smart, athletic, talented, etc.

Growth: recognizes that while there are limits on anyone's potential, it takes a lot of hard work and persistence to even come close to reaching it. Setbacks are learning experiences and reminders to push harder. Would like to win like everyone else, but can be satisfied with the knowledge that he put forth his best effort at the time even if he doesn't.

Tip for parents/teachers/anyone dealing with the younger set: you can encourage children towards the growth mindset by praising their efforts, instead of traits like "you are so smart." Some research indicates that telling children that they are smart encourages the fixed mindset and increases the likelihood that they will not apply themselves when faced with a challenging task. since they will reason that smart people shouldn't have to work too hard. Instead notice and encourage persistence and effort. Example, "I know you really put a lot of work into that project and it came out great!"

James Malone is a Certified Hypnotist from Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey. To learn more about the book referenced in this article and other helpful resources, please visit the authors Recommended Reads

Exercise To Increase Vertical Jump - Increase Your Vertical Jump Fast Through Exercise

2007-09-11T19:29:00.001-07:00

Being able to increase your vertical jump through exercise could make your pro basketball dreams a reality. This article targets simple exercise methods that you can perform in the comfort of your own home to increase your vertical jump fast. Keep reading to get free instant access to my vertical leap program that has helped at least 2000 athletes increase their vertical leap worldwide!

There are a range of exercises that athletes can include in their vertical leap training program to increase their vertical jump. These vertical jump exercises can result in a significant improvement to vertical leap measurement which is the ultimate aim of many athletes, not exclusively basketballers.

Let's get started with some very simple exercises to increase your vertical jump today. You are only weeks away from a significant increase in your vertical jump. Let's get started, shall we?

Vertical Jump Exercise Number 1 - As with many vertical jump exercises, it is absolutely critical that you take time as an athlete to warm up to avoid injury. One of the best ways to increase vertical jump through exercise is by increasing the strength of your calf muscles. A great way to do this and to condition your body overall is to use a jump rope. To achieve greater vertical jump results then add some ankle weights to your jump rope routine. This is a very simple exercise to increase your vertical jump and it's not limited to basketballers. Boxers are avid users of jump rope training. There is, however, another method to increase your vertical jump through calf muscle strengthening.

Vertical Jump Exercise Number 2 - If you're someone who hates going up and down stairs then that's all about to change because running up and down stairs is another fantastic way to not only increase your cardio workout but to strengthen your calf muscles. Ultimately increasing the strength of your calf muscles is a major contributor to increasing your vertical jump through exercise. However, there is another vertical jump exercise that is pivotal to increasing your vertical leap, however does not result in breaking out a sweat at all.

Vertical Jump Exercise Number 3 - The vertical jump exercise I'm talking about here is simply increasing your flexibility by stretching your body. You will increase your vertical jump just by improving your flexibility. Overall body stretching and conditioning will increase your vertical jump and athletes of any fitness level are able to perform some form of vertical leap stretching exercise without too much difficulty. Of course, if you are a very fit and athletic person by nature then you can really take your vertical jump exercise program to a higher level.

Vertical Jump Exercise Number 4 - I've already explained how important your calf muscles are in giving you that strength to do a massive vertical jump. Jump ropes and running stairs are not the only exercise to increase vertical jump. Another great exercise to increase vertical jump comes from sprinting.

These are just a few very simple exercises to increase vertical jump, and every vertical leap exercise is able to be performed in the comfort of your own home or backyard. These are the very same vertical leap exercises that has catapulted the careers of hundreds of amateur basketball players.

I can't stress how important your vertical jump is. Many basketball scouts won't even look at you unless you can do a significant vertical jump. Thankfully, there are many vertical jump exercises that athletes can easily add to their workout schedule that will result in a significant increase in vertical jump in the least amount of time.

Keep reading to get free instant access to my vertical leap program that has helped at least 2000 athletes increase their vertical leap worldwide!

Wait! You won't believe how easy it is to increase vertical jump. I can show you how to increase vertical jump in just days! An increase in vertical leap and an easy step by step vertical leap program can land you the athletic career, lifestyle and money you've always dreamed of. Find out how to get all three...click here now http://www.increase-and-improve-vertical-jump.com and get instant access to my free vertical jump workout course ($99.00 VALUE)!

Can't Watch This

2007-09-11T19:27:00.003-07:00

Throughout history men and women have competed. Weather it is who makes more money or who can perform a particular sport better, men and women love to compete. Men and women were not created equal. Men can perform better than women can in certain activities (but not all activities). Profession sports are a place designed for male athletes. Especially basketball. Women claim they can play with men, but this is not entirely true. Certainly there exists a woman who is a better player than someone in the NBA is, but statistics don’t sell tickets or sign TV contracts. Professional sports exist as businesses. The WNBA simply can’t make as much money. The NBA’s style of play, and fashion makes basketball entertaining and exciting. Entertainment and excitement is what sells.

Thousands of b-ball fans pile into stadiums like the United Center to watch fast-paced action. Basketball fans pay for action. Fans' mouths drop for dunks, blocks, fast breaks, behind the back passes, and the ally oop. Female athletes simply can’t execute those maneuvers. The WNBA just isn’t on the same level. Bank shots and two-handed lay-ups appeal to few. Nearly every NBA team sells out every game. WNBA games barely fill half the available seats. On weekend nights people rush to sports bars to enjoy a game. Fans don’t jump at the chance to cheer on a group of women jogging up and down the court making basic passes and taking average, fundamental shots. It’s not exciting.

The NBA is fun to watch because of the different style of teams and individual players. A fashion show starts with the opening tip. Teams in the NBA use different uniforms. Some teams wear their shorts long, some short. The shoes of individual players become more colorful and outrageous every year. Individual players use different dress codes as well. Many players wear wristbands, headbands, various braces, and different sizes of sox. The women of the WNBA wear the same styles. All WNBA teams support the same uniform. Individual players look similar. Variety makes the game livelier and more enjoyable.

Basketball is a fun and exciting sport for those who play. Spectators don’t know what it’s like to compete at an intense, physically demanding manner. Fans watch the NBA to see competition with a twist. The competition alone will not do. They want action. Dunks, spins, and pressure shots, make basketball worth watching. The WNBA can’t give fans that. As a die hard basketball fan, when a WNBA game comes on I simply can’t watch.

Matt Christensen
http://www.mattchristensen.net

I want that NCAA Sports Apparel

2007-09-11T19:27:00.001-07:00

High school is fun but most people consider college as the years where they had the most fun. It is during those four years, or more for some, when they had the most trouble but at the same time learned the greatest life lessons from those troubles. The colleges go through so much in order to give the best for their students.

Those who run colleges know that they have work at giving the best quality when it comes to everything student related because college is a turning point for the youth. It is a time when they will discover what they really want in life and it is also a time of building long lasting relationships.

These relationships are formed in the classroom, organizations and sports teams. The little cliques formed forged a bond that can be everything to a student. These groups may fight against each other and yes these fights can get worst but there will be those times when everyone is brought together for one day or for one night.

Those days or nights are game days or game nights. More than academic contests and other competitions, sports is what usually unites an academic institution like college. For one there are a lot of schools who offer sports scholarships so usually these sports stars serve as inspiration to the rest of the student population. Thus watching them play and give glory to the school enforces that belief that yes, dreams do come true.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is the association that is in charge of the different sports activities of the colleges of America. Basketball is probably one of the more popular sports that they organize. Most NCAA stars go on to become big stars in the National Basketball Association (NBA). To show support for your NCAA teams, fans come in any NCAA sports apparel.

It can be a jacket, hats or caps. A normal way to go about it is to wear a school shirt but some avid fans go as far as wearing a replica jersey of their favorite players. All of these in the name of school spirit. In the end, the winner gets the bragging rights so it will come as no surprise if even the most apathetic of all the students will go out of the way to take part in all the hoopla just for a day or a night.

Low Jeremy maintains sports-apparel.articlesforreprint.com. This content is provided by Low Jeremy. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included.

Racquetball After 40 - How to Beat the Younger, Faster Player

2007-09-11T19:25:00.001-07:00

My return to racquetball started six months ago, shortly after my 42nd birthday. After one session in the 4-wall ping-pong chamber, I quickly remembered why I love this game. Action. Speed. Aggression. Strategy. Lateral Movement. Body Slams. Trash talking...Racquetball has all that - plus a great cardio workout. After an hour, I was spent.

The next day, I also remembered why I stopped playing. Ouch. Sore in places I forgot I had. However, within a few weeks of regular play 2X a week - and with a diligent warm up routine - my body quickly acclimated.

I am not a doctor or a professional athlete, but I love to play sports and stay active, and I've learned what to do to keep my aging body in the game. If you want to get back into racquetball (and c'mon...I know you do!) here are three areas you need to focus on to keep playing... and winning.

1. Don't Write Checks Your Body Can't Cash

The adrenaline of the game can motivate you to make plays that are going to punish your body. The two most common body wreckers are: diving for the ball and running into a wall. Add to that hyperextending your joints and hitting the ball too hard and you have a recipe for a seriously taxed body after your court session. If you play several times a week, these nagging bumps and pulls can turn into serious injuries that will take you significant time to recover. If you're over 40, you probably have a few more LB's than you did when you played in your 20's. Extra weight combined with hard impacts and lunges will lead to either heel bruises, knee strains, or back pulls (or all of them!). I've had them, and the only way to recover is usually to do NOTHING for a long time - and that just aint no fun.

Don't let your pride get the best of you. I've lost a lot of playing partners who put up a good fight for one game, but couldn't come back next week to play again.

Use your head. Stretch out for at least 15 minutes before you play. Precede your stretch with a short jog. Play against the side walls for at least 5 minutes. Practice playing low to the ground - it's the low lunges that lead to muscle pulls, so warmup that muscle behaviour before you play.

Deal with your post-game battle wounds ASAP. Don't be a hero and limp around for a week - if you do you're starting down the path of a long-term nagging injury. Ice it, jacuzzi it, asprin it, wrap it, etc. Get sleep so your body can heal. Take glucosamine for your joints. If you take care of your body, it will acclimate...just don't expect it to spring back like it did in your 20's!

2. Gear Up

Goggle, Shoes, Racquet glove and Knee Support. This is your required battle gear.

Yes, goggles can fog up...but eyeballs cannot be replaced. Every time I contemplate peeling off my goggles - I end up taking a shot to the mug. A compressed racquetball hitting your eye socket can suck your eyeball right out. Enough said. Bring 2 pairs and rotate them when one fogs up.

Shoes. You need good shoes, that fit snugly. Don't grab your ancient nikes - get some new shoes. You don't need to spend a fortune. Get 2 cheap pairs that you can rotate so the shoes have time to recover. If your ankles are a bit out of practice, you may want to consider basketball shoes for extra support. If you turn an ankle you are on injured reserve for quite a while. Or, you can wrap your ankles before you play. Hey! It ain't about lookin' pretty...it's about winning!

Racquet glove. Keeps your wrist from getting carpal tunnel from straining to grip the raquet. Worth the small investment.

Knee support. I'm not a big guy...170 pounds, 5' 10" - and I'm in ok shape. But, I wear knee supports, and I'll tell you why. Because my knees were taking a pounding. If you want to play hard, you will end up diving for the ball or scrambling off the floor. You're a warrior - you can't help it! In the heat of battle, your knees will take the hit, but the next day you'll be hurting. And each following game...they'll get worse, and worse. Soon, you'll have to stop playing for a while. Let's face it - you're not 20 anymore. Your body needs time to recover. Plus you need to go to work on Monday and still be a pack-mule for all of your families' junk! Make sure you have enough body left over for your family!

Don't show up with velcro knee pads...you're not laying tile! Simple slip-on, breathable latex type knee supports that aren't so tight that they restrict movement will help your knees survive.

3. Winning Strategy: Placement & Positioning. Especially important if you're playing younger bucks that have energy to burn. To conserve your energy, you need to play smart. Playing smart involves placing the ball in the right spot, and positioning your body in the right spot on the court. Hitting the ball hard doesn't win games. Putting the ball where your opponent is not does. Make the bastard run. Make 'em dive. Make 'em beg for mercy!

Here are a few playing tips I've learned that increase your odds of winning.

1. Quiver O' Serves. You should have 3 or 4 good serves in your arsenal. Vary up your serve. Look back before you serve to see where your opponent is. Hitting into the backhand corner is good, but have it play off the side wall before it lands. Hit one that goes to your opponents ankles - fast. Mix in a dying high-corner lob that you can't play off the back wall. Include a fast ball wall-hugging backhand. Once you get your opponent striking out on your serve, keep varying it and feed the serves fast. Don't give them time to get set.

2. Body Positioning. Generally, with regards to position, try to stay in the middle of the court. If you're agains a wall, hit a cross wall shot so the ball returns back to where you are - which forces your opponent to your wall. Don't hinder the ball. If your opponent is up front in the court, drive him back with a ceiling-first shot that forces him back. If you find yourself in a corner, get out of it and return to the middle as quickly as possible. Stay in the middle.

3. Wait for the Ball. When you get a good forehand shot, don't blow it. If you see a lane where you can hit the ball, make sure you are ACCURATE in your shot. If you're all juiced up, you'll hit it too hard and the ball will bounce too high, which allows your opponent to recover with a back wall return.

If the ball goes past you, no big. Turn around and play it off the back wall. Play your game, not you opponents game.

4. Find the Achilles Heel. Play a variety of shots early in the game to find your opponents weakness. But don't experiment when you have a kill shot. Take the kill. Toy with your opponent when you can afford it.

5. Keep the Serve! You can't score if you don't have the serve. If you are are returning a serve, it is GAME ON time. Get the serve back at all costs. Don't let your opponent run up a tab. How do you do this when they have a wicked serve? Learn how to read your opponents body language. Usually a server will 'telegraph' their move with a switch of the feet, a turn of the wrist grip, a drop of the shoulder. These little 'reads' will give you that extra milli-second to get a jump on that serve and get that SOB out of the server box.

6. Placement, placement, placement. Make your opponent run, scramble, dive. EVERY shot should be hard to return. That doesn't mean it has to be a kill shot, or a hard hit ball. To place the ball where your opponent isn't, you need to know where they are! Which leads to my next tip.

7. Watch the ball and watch your opponent. Develop your kung fu senses. If your opponent is scrambling, they are generally going to hit weak returns (except for the occasionally LUCKY kill shot!). Try to anticipate where their next shot is going.

8. And lastly, my favorite tip. If you really want to get better, play at least 2X a week, and play with someone who is better than you! My regular partner beats me pretty much every game. He is simply Ninja good. A huge arsenal of deadly serves. A wicked kill shot (forehand and backhand). And an excellent strategic player. This guy played competitively when he was younger and never stopped. BUT, I'm gaining on him and I've beaten him a few times. I prefer a challenge to a win. I also beat other racquetball players easily.

BUT... I don't recommend getting obsessed and playing 5+ times a week. You'll beat up your body and burn out your thirst for the game. Find some regulars you can play with and stick to a schedule.

Have fun, cross-train, play hard, and keep those young guys RUNNING!

Nate Scharff is a full-time business professor at Grossmont College in San Diego, California. In addition to racquetball, Nate's roster of regular sports includes surfing, mountain biking and swimming. Nate's other hobbies include spending time with his wife and teaching baseball to his 2 active boys.

You can find him playing racquetball at the RB Swim and Tennis Club Friday mornings!

Turn Your Potential Into Success

2007-09-11T19:23:00.001-07:00

Do you know someone with an extraordinary talent? Maybe that person is a gifted athlete, artist, or musician. Or perhaps that person has a mind for business, is a master with numbers, or knows precisely how to handle people. Although this person has these gifts that some people would die for, they never seem to use their gift to help them reach their full potential. Or maybe they are applying their skills but just can’t seem to get past a certain level of accomplishment. Maybe you know someone like that. Maybe that someone is you. Everyone has the potential to be someone great. But sometimes the journey to greatness seems so impossible most never make the trip. Others start the journey but get so discouraged by obstacles and setbacks that they give in before they reach their destination. Here are five steps you can take to harness your potential so you can get to the promise land of success.

Know where you are going.
If someone were to ask you where do you see yourself financially in 5 years what would you say? You might say something like “I’d like to have enough money to get out of debt or buy a bigger house”. Those are good goals to have but how much money is enough money? Most people generalize their goals so much that specifics of what they want aren’t clear to them. That’s like if you asked someone where they were going on their vacation and they said, “We’re going to Florida and we’re staying near a beach”. You’d probably wonder where in Florida and which beach? If that person is really planning on going to Florida they are eventually going to have to decide whether they want to go to Daytona, Miami, or Key West. Once they’ve decided to go to Miami then getting there will be easier. The same is true of your goals. Write your goals down so you can see them. The sooner you know where you are going, the sooner you will get there.

Practice Your Potential
The most common mistake that most people make on their voyage is that they are not prepared for opportunities. The reason that they are not prepared for opportunities is that they did not practice their potential. In order for you to succeed you must be prepared for success. For example consider former NBA basketball player Steve Kerr. He would practice relentlessly and shoot hundreds of shots a day. Kerr’s most memorable moment came in 1997 championship game when his teammate Michael Jordan passed him the ball and Steve made the game winning shot. Although Steve Kerr shot hundreds of shots in preparation for the games, he only attempted a few shots a game. So why practice a hundred shots if you are only going to shot a few? Because those hundreds of shots Steve Kerr took were to prepare him for that one crucial time when he would need to make one important shot. You see if you want to succeed at something you have to be prepared for that moment of success. Read up on how others have succeeded where you want to succeed and be prepared for your moment when it comes.

Develop successful habits
The difference between the people who succeed and the people who fail lie in their habits. Most people might shrug off bad habits as something they’ve always done and will always do so there is no point in changing them. The truth is the very habits that they have accepted are the very reason they have not found success in some areas of their lives. If you were a manager and you had a choice to promote two people one who had a habit of being tardy and not completing assignments. And another who was always early and saw a project through to completion, which one would you choose?

Bounce back quickly
Success is a journey. This journey is littered with obstacles and setbacks that are designed to test your resiliency. These obstacles can be discouraging and can create the feeling of failure. Once that feeling is there you may entertain thoughts of giving up the journey. In order for you to bounce back quickly you must prepare yourself for these obstacles internally and externally. Do all that you can to prevent these setbacks from happening but if they do happen, remind yourself of your goal. Surround yourself with positive people who will encourage you when you are tempted to give up. Keep motivational materials around also. Posting motivational quotes or reading success stories may give you that recharge that you need to keep you going. The quicker you bounce back the quicker you will reach your goal.

Keep on Succeeding
Accomplishments feel good and encourage us to continue on to where we want to go. But once we succeed there is a way to keep on succeeding. The journey of success is never boring and never easy. There is always someone out there who will look at the things you have accomplished and wish they could do the same. Helping others succeed is the best way to keep on succeeding. Since you made it through the fire and came out a success, you’ve gained a lot of experience and will probably have a lot to share. Imagine the encouragement someone will feel when you tell them the story of your success and how you made it through those same obstacles that they are now facing. Passing on knowledge, resources, and wisdom to someone who has the same vision of success that you have is one of the most rewarding feelings anyone can have. You have the potential… now it’s time to succeed.

Ralph Jean-Paul is a motivational speaker and the founder of Potential2Success.com. He is a champion speaker mentored many to success. His desire to motivate people to become their best has lead him create a website with categories such as business, money, family, health, and relationships. The websites sole purpose is to offer information, quotes, stories, and interviews so that all visitors will leave the site ready to harness their potential and turn it into success. Please visit us at http://www.Potential2Success.com or you may email Ralph directly at email@potential2success.com

How To Measure Vertical Leap And Correctly Calculate Your Hang Time

2007-09-11T19:22:00.001-07:00

If you are an athlete interested in increasing and improving your vertical leap then you need to have a way to measure your progression. There are a number of ways you can measure vertical leap. This article will discuss importance of the vertical leap, the most common methods for measuring vertical leap and how often you should measure vertical leap progression. Keep reading to get free instant access to my vertical leap program that has helped at least 2000 athletes increase their vertical leap worldwide!

Vertical leap is not just a guide for how high an athlete can jump. It is now considered such an important measurement of an athlete's capabilities that the NBL initial assessments have been reduced to just one single athletic measurement: the vertical leap.

How To Measure Vertical Leap Method One: Stand with your side next to a wall, reach up (but do not step up on your toes), extend your arm and touch as high as you can on the wall. Mark the spot where your hand reached with tape, chalk or saliva.

Now while standing in the same spot jump as high as you can and with your extended hand make another mark where your hand extends to the top of.

To measure your vertical leap simply take a measurement between the two markings.

How To Measure Vertical Leap Method Two: Once again, stand with your side right up against a wall and have someone mark off the highest point you can reach with your arm extended while you stand flat footed.

When you have done that cover the underside of your middle finger tip with some form of ink.

Move one step back from the wall. Being sure not to take more than one step into it, do a vertical jump off both feet and touch the highest point you can reach on the wall.

Repeat this vertical leap jump five times. When you have done that, measure the measurement of the highest mark from the first mark and you have measured your vertical leap. When you subtract your standing reach from the height of the highest vertical jump you have a measurement of your vertical jump.

note: With the vertical leap measurement above there is much controversy about whether it is an accurate measurement, given that the athlete is able to do one step into it. Many believe that a real vertical leap measurement only occurs when there is no step into it.

Given the right vertical leap program and the right exercise to improve and increase vertical leap, there can be a significant improvement to your vertical jump over a small period of time so it, therefore, a good idea to measure your vertical leap progression on a weekly basis and aim to improve it by finding the best vertical jump program that is right for you and your needs.

Keep reading to get free instant access to my vertical leap program that has helped at least 2000 athletes increase their vertical leap worldwide!

A Leap Up

2007-09-11T19:21:00.001-07:00

Vertical leap breakdown

In order to jump higher, you will need to be in top condition. If you train hard, you can increase the amount of inches that you are able to jump. This can be the difference between a dunk, a clap or just touching the backboard. It is important to be able to jump high because it gives you more space to work with.

In order to jump higher, you must:

1) Jump: If you jump a lot, you will reuse the same leg muscles that you use when you jump. Just like doing pushups. The more times you do pushups, the more you can do until you reach your max. If you keep jumping over long stretches of time, it will increase your vertical leap.

2) Knee Bends: You have to have great strength in your thighs, the upper part of your leg. This will allow you to jump higher. Players who can jump high do not only have good calf muscles, but have good thigh muscles as well.

3) Stretching: When you stretch, you become a better leaper. This is because you will probably be able to reach a little higher and you make full use of your leg. Your leg is compressed and if properly straighten out; you will have a little more spring in your jump.

4) Sit ups: You have to have a strong core in order to jump high. If you do have a strong core, it will allow you be pull as hard as you can on your jumps. Jumping is more than just the legs.

5) Work with resistance: If you have weights, you can try jumping up and down while holding them so that you will jump higher without them later on. It can build more strength allowing you to jump higher.

6) Play hard: When on the court, make it like it is your last day. When you play hard, you will work out your legs in addition to your training.

Being a better jumper is a fascinating idea but time and effort is required. Now go jump!

NBA fan
By Jonathan T Chin

The Spencer Hawes Saga - Ride the NBA Bench, or Help the Huskies by Becoming a Better Player?

2007-09-11T19:20:00.001-07:00

Ah, to be fawned over as a potential 7-foot NBA center.

It must be pretty heady for Spencer Hawes. Well, we know it is pretty heady just listening to Hawes.

Frank Hughes wrote about young Spencer recently (6-1-07) in The News Tribune, Tacoma, Washington's dominate daily.

Hughes said that "after a disappointing freshman season that saw the (University of Washington) Huskies miss not only the NCAA tournament but the National Invitational Tournament as well, Hawes said that he was going to leave school early and fulfill his dream of playing professionally."

Recently Hawes was one of 10 players exclusively invited to meet with the media in Orlando (FL), signaling that the NBA considers him a likely top-10 pick in the NBA draft on June 28. Hawes has until June 18 to remove his name from the list of draft-eligible players, and if he can overcome his self-inflated opinion, he will.

Listen to what sportswriter Hughes quotes Hawes as saying in the process of making up his mind:

"That is the big question: Where does that improvement come from? That is what I am trying to figure out. It is tough to say now. I would love to make a decision tomorrow, but I just don't think I am ready yet.

"If I go back (and play for U-Dub) and try to go No. 1 next year, that is something that is enticing. But if you make that the reason you go back, that shifts your focus and then every day you are worried. Did I increase my stock? Did I hurt myself? I think that would be the wrong reason to go back. I would be so anxious the whole year that it wouldn't be worth it."

Hawes said he and his teammates fell victim to the success that the UW had enjoyed in previous seasons under Lorenzo Romar, thinking that the addition of Hawes instantly gave them a spot in the NCAA tournament.

Said Hawes: "Going in, I think we took a lot of things for granted, and I think we thought our talent alone would produce results."

All of this chatter prompts me to think of Hawes as a spoiled, millionaire athlete with little grip on reality. I hesitate to call Hawes a diva because biologically it does not work, but I will settle on divo to get it in the male gender.

I would hesitate to ask Hawes what he thinks about his situation. I would be more interested in what he knows, and based on his public statements, I do not get the impression he knows much.

Hey Spencer, here is a reality check:

1) If you think you are going to make some kind of impact in the NBA based on your current performance at the college level, revisit that notion and put it into perspective. You could not carry U-Dub last year on your best day.

You were far from the MVP on last year's Husky team. If there is any doubt, appreciate the fact you had Jon Brockman on your team. Brockman is a work horse that does not know the word quit. At 6-foot-7 and 260 pounds, Brockman produced all year and outperformed you.

Brockman was literally the MVP last year, an all Pac-10 conference first-team pick at forward, led the Pac-10 in rebounding (9.6), led the Pac-10 with 15 double-doubles, was third in the conference in shooting percentage (55%) and 12th in scoring (14+ ppg).

Did I mention that Brockman was a sophomore last year?

2) You may have taken a lot of things for granted going into last season Spencer, but I doubt all of your teammates did, especially Jon Brockman.

3) Even if you come back and play at U-Dub next year, you still may not learn enough and grow enough to outperform Brockman.

4) Should you decide you can learn more and get better quicker in the NBA, you are going to have a hard time doing it on the bench. You are going to be reminded when you arrive that there are no high school stiffs to jump over. You are going to get out muscled and pushed around.

You need to get a lot bigger and a whole bunch stronger than 230 over a 7-foot frame. Given the fact that the NBA looks like it is morphing into the league of mugging and thugging, you do not have a prayer at the moment.

Trust me when I say that if LeBron James decides he is going to drive the lane by you, he will not need to mug or thug to do it, and you may be picking up your teeth off the floor.

I know this: If I am going into an NBA game or a rowdy bar and have to choose who to take with me, you or Jon Brockman, you are going to be standing outside alone.

5) What is your legacy going to be if you take the money and run into a brick wall? You will be forgotten before you will be remembered, and rightly so. Up to this point you have not done enough to help your college teammates more than yourself, not to mention the fact that you are not nearly as good as you are being told.

If you think you are, you need to prove it on the court and stop reading the print media and listening to the broadcast media.

Choosing the NBA gives you some immediate cash and allows you to help yourself to perhaps an early retirement. Returning to the University of Washington allows you not only to get better quicker but also helps your teammates. Dude, you are not ready for the NBA, and I am not sure the NBA is ready for you despite the stupidity of giving you a ton of money to grow, and grow up.

Ed Bagley is the Author of Ed Bagley's Blog, which he Publishes Daily with Fresh, Original Articles on Lessons in Life, Movie Reviews, Jobs and Careers, Sports or Internet Marketing intended to Delight, Inform, Educate and Motivate Readers. Visit Ed at . . .
http://www.edbagleyblog.com
and check out Ed's other websites at . . .
http://www.eds-sports-corner.blogspot.com

Benefits Of London 2012 To Rural England

2007-09-11T19:17:00.003-07:00

Shropshire is already experiencing the benefits of the 2012 Olympics and more are on the way. The Games are creating a real difference not only in London but also across the country.

Major sporting events have a history of boosting economies and inspiring people. Talking at a conference in Stafford, Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson spoke about the potential of the games: “Never underestimate the power of the Olympics and Paralympics, they have the power to inspire and unite.” The legacy of the games will give people greater access to more sports and exercise facilities and will help to change people’s lifestyles: “Young people will grow up witnessing the ambitious 2012 Olympic and Paralympic vision becoming a reality.”

Dame Tanni expressed her belief that in order to get the best out of the games people needed to start acting now. Shropshire is already using the Olympic Games as a platform to deliver many social and economic benefits. David Hinves, South Shropshire District Council’s Sports Development Officer, has started a scheme to help inspire and develop local athletes: “I decided to invite nominations annually for those athletes who are intending to be at the London 2012 Games and identify the ten who are closest to achieving this dream.” These “Talented Performers” are receiving financial help to improve their training and are acting as local role models to inspire others. Utilising the Olympics to get more young people active will have a positive effect on society. Sport acts as a way of teaching people responsibility and helps them to be more disciplined. Also it can help to reverse the trend of an ever increasing obese population.

Andrew Jones of All Stretton is one of the talented performers identified. At just 16 years of age he has finished in the top five positions at numerous events on the Under 20 men’s section of the 2005 athletics season: “The Talented Performers Scheme has encouraged me to think about the games in 2012. As part of a Shropshire group that is looking forward to the games, it is giving me something to aim for. The scheme has acknowledged my achievements to date and given me the confidence to go forward and aim higher.”

Ben Carless from Wistanstow is another local young person benefiting from the talented performers scheme. He has captained the Welsh under 16 hockey team and the games are acting as a real inspiration for him: “The Olympic Games are inspiring me to try and achieve success at the highest level. Of course, it is my dream that one day I will become part of a GB team at the Olympics. It gives me and other athletes a great target to aim for.”

Other benefits for Shropshire won’t be seen until nearer the time of the games. However, Mr Hinves has already made sure plans are being put in place now to make sure Shropshire is in a position to maximise them: “We have already been involved (that is in the sports world along with our tourism colleagues) with identifying potential benefits of these games.” It is estimated that tourism will account for 50-75% of the net benefit of the games. Not many people know that the origins of the modern Olympics stem from Much Wenlock. Shropshire can use this fact to draw attention to itself, and along with many more of its fantastic tourist attractions, benefit from the money generated by a mass increase in tourism.

Increase Vertical Leap - Increase Your Vertical Jump

2007-09-11T19:17:00.001-07:00

If you want to rule on the basketball court then this program is for you. You can easily increase your vertical leap with this system. Increase your vertical leap at least 6 inches in 90 days with this program or you will be rewarded by the creator. The only way to help your vertical is to learn from someone who has increased theirs.

You vertical leap stems from your calf muscles. There are certain exercises you can do to strengthen these muscles. Here are some tips on increasing your vertical leap without any special packages. However, if you are really serious about your vertical jump, I would suggest checking out the vertical leap program by clicking the link below.

1. Jumping rope really works well. Be sure to jump from your toes as this will work your calf muscles.

2. Practice you vertical leap. If you want to perfect something all you need to do is practice.

3. Sprinting helps develop your calf muscles as well because when you sprint you dig into the ground with your toes and when you push off the ground it strengthens your calf muscles.

4. One last exercise you can do to that will increase vertical leap performance is to stand on the edge of a step with only your toes and push up and down. For even more toning hold onto some weights when doing this.

There you have some simple exercises to increase your vertical leap. This will work, but owning a proven system will give you the results you want in much less time. The difference between training yourself and following a program is that this program has been proven to work. Take your pick.

To increase your vertical leap visit: Increase Vertical Leap

From Baseball to Basketball A National Past Time

2007-09-11T19:15:00.001-07:00

Years ago as a youth, I would go with my dad to the local grocery store for one of those wonderful rectangular wax shaped packages in the check out line. It contained a single piece of gum. Small and rectangular much like the packaging it came in and had a delicious smell to it. Often the gum was stale and not very tasty but what was inside the packaging behind it is what I really wanted... baseball cards.

Like most youth my age I had a fascination with baseball. Learning its rules, the players names, who managed them. I began to recognize team colors and logos and what cities they played in. It was like a world unto itself, much like the writings of a J.K Rowling or J.R.R. Tolkien with vibrant characters and settings that you just couldn't help being absorbed into.

Then the strikes came from the early 80's into the 90's with the most damaging one being in 1994. My love for the game died that year as well as my youthful perception of what I thought was a game but really turned out to be a poorly run business by MLB and its players.

Shortly after that strike came the home run race between Big Mac and Sosa with each player going for the single season home run record. Some of my interest came back for a short time but soon faded again at allegations about players using creams and other performance enhancing supplements between these two sluggers and ultimately many in baseball.

My other favorite sport in my youth was basketball. A game that always seemed simple to me and didn't require much thought. The ball must be dribbled, put into the basket and this goes on back and forth for several quarters or halves depending on if you were watching a pro or collegiate game.

A young basketball phenom came onto the scene in the early 80's that would forever spark and embrace a new generation of players and fans. Michael Jordan... Growing up and watching the man simply known by many as "Air" gave me a new passion and love for a sport that I had never had before. Not because of the sport, or the players, or the coaches or the logos of the teams but because this man had a determination and will to compete every night with his peers and to challenge himself to be better regardless of who he was competing against. 6 Championships later, I was glad I tuned in.

This became the New National Past Time... Basketball.

Having Fun With Outdoor Sports

2007-09-11T19:14:00.001-07:00

I love playing outdoor sports though all things considered I’m not much of a jock. The great thing about outdoors sports is that while enjoying a small dose of friendly competition, you can enjoy the boons nature bestow upon us as well as getting some good exercise. It’s a great way of spending quality time taking all things into account. To me going to the gym, workout on treadmills is a waste of time although a number of my friends opt for them. I could never understand the logic of spending time walking while watching a TV when you can play outdoor sports and have a fun time enjoying nature.

Provided that the weather is right, its great that you can play almost any sports outdoors. In summer, you can play soccer, baseball, basketball and most of the sports you can come up with outdoors. However most people give up on outdoor sports during the rainy and cold seasons. It’s a big mistake in my opinion since there are lots of sports suitable for snow, freezing cold and rain that you can indulge in. In the snow you can go cross-country skiing, dirt bike racing in the mud are few examples. Almost all year round you can play outdoor sports if you just use your imagination.

Number of gears that are required is the only drawback of outdoors sports. The high expenses of these gears give the advantage to the gyms. You get exercise machines, sports equipment, a swimming pool and court where you can play some sports in your typical gyms. But you have to furnish yourself all of the supplies when you go to play sports outdoors. Most people cannot afford many of the outdoors sports or are reluctant to invest money required on those they can.

I think that everyone should try out in their life at least one outdoor adventure sport. But adventure sports are not for everyone. Some people don’t like getting scared so they opt for subtle options like jogging or basketball. But it’s worthy having that adrenaline rush once in your life. When you are scared out of your mind, you will feel most alive.

Studying the environment and landscape around you is the best way to get into outdoor adventure sports. Mountain biking is one of the easiest adventure sports. A mountain is there almost in all areas. If not you might have a river near by for kayaking or a Para gliding company nearby where you can join.

Keeping it simple is a good advice. Many sports don’t require almost anything like football where you need only a ball and to mark the boundaries of the end zone, some cones. A field with soccer goalposts is only additionally required to play soccer. Nothing but a field and a piece of cloth is all that is required to play something like capture the flag. If you let your imagination run wild, possibilities are endless.

Swati Banerjee is the owner of Writing Ink, a web content management firm based out of India, that services clients from across the globe. Please take a minute to visit http://www.writing-ink.com to experience how the bright young minds here make magic with words!

Take Basketball College Recruiting To The Next Level - How To Get Noticed

2007-09-11T19:13:00.001-07:00

Could you imagine having a top college coach stop by your basketball games during your college recruiting process? It's not completely unrealistic but it's important to understand how recruiting works for basketball and the steps you need to take to make hundreds of coaches interested in you.

It's important to understand that top college basketball programs all know about the top 100 or so players in the nation and actively recruit these prospects. However, there are players who slip the cracks because they know how to put their face in front of these coaches and make the most of it. The problem is most high school basketball players think these coaches won't be interested in them at all so they don't even bother. While this is probably correct 95% of the time it's taking the chance to put yourself out there because the truth is you really don't know the "needs" of every team. You might be exactly what they're looking for. Maybe you are a great three point shooter and shows a tremendous basketball savvy. You might be surprised at the demand you could generate with a little self promotion.

That's what it's all about, self promoting for basketball college recruiting. Getting your name out there in front of the coach or coaches from all the schools you're interested in and letting them know you, type of player you are, where you'll be playing in summer AAU, etc.

For instance, lets say you send out 50 letters promoting yourself to coaches across the country about 2 to 3 months before the college basketball recruiting period begins. In most cases you'll receive a letter back in the mail thanking you for your interest and they will keep your name on a list of players to check out if your schedules coincide. You might receive a response of 10% which means you'll get 5 coaches at schools you're interested in showing up to watch you during summer basketball. You could see an even better response and maybe half of them keep your name on their list of players to check out.

The overall key is promoting yourself and putting your name in front of everyone and don't limit yourself. If anything it's awesome just to say you received letters in the mail from a North Carolina, Kentucky or a Florida and maybe if you're lucky you'll catch an assistant or head coach checking you out for 5 to 10 minutes during a summer league game. That should be your goal and if have a great half then who knows what can happen. This is one of the best approaches to take for basketball and college recruiting if you're serious about it.

Want to get started on your college basketball recruiting the right way? Get your hands on the complete guide that comes with a free letter template to send out to coaches today.

College Sports Recruiting On Steriods

Top High School Basketball - Improve Your Performance up to 30%

2007-09-11T19:12:00.003-07:00

Young players who dream of making the top high school basketball teams, must realize that it requires more than just practicing on their basketball techniques or athletics – If they want to make it to the next level, they must develop their game intelligence. Is that possible? – The answer is YES.

What is “Game Intelligence”?

Basketball game intelligence refers to the ability anticipate moves of the other players on court (both opponents and teammates); make smart decisions under pressure, spot opportunities for the team, pattern recognition and superior execution.

Can you each top high school basketball “Game Intelligence”?

Up until now, it was considered “Unteachable”, something that a young basketball player either had or didn’t. Fortunately an innovative ground-breaking technology changed that concept with a proven ability to train young players’ cognitive skills (brain-skills) while improving their overall skills and performance by a whopping 30%.

Does it really work?!

Studies and tests that were conducted on top college teams have shown time after time that this cognitive technology dramatically improves each players’ and the entire teams’ overall performance and statistics, especially when players are required to make smart decisions on money-time and under pressure -- resulting with winning more games.

Young basketball players who want to make their teams or those who already play on top high school basketball leagues and who used this technology, reported that it dramatically improved their overall performance in matter of weeks, making precise moves, steals and shots while avoiding mistakes, turnovers and bad tendencies.

Top coaches claim that this technology is especially effective in championship games - with all other factors being equal, the coach that used this cognitive training technology will most likely be the one cutting off the nets.

Learn more about how to dramatically improve your performance on court and make it to the top high school basketball league by using the world’s first ever basketball "brain training" software.

http://www.smart-basketball.com

Should the All-Star Game Determine Home Field Advantage?

2007-09-11T19:12:00.001-07:00

A few years back, the MLB came out with a new rule stating that the All-star game would forevermore determine home field advantage for the World Series. My question is this: Should the All-star game really play a factor in the World Series? The answer? NO!!!

Whereas all-star games of old were taken very seriously (remember Pete Rose’s famous collision at home plate?), nowadays, the All-star game serves more as a night of entertainment and honor for those deemed worthy of inclusion. Much like the NBA’s dunk contest and three-point contest, the MLB’s home run derby and jovial, paparazzi-laden atmosphere have cemented the MLB All-star game in the minds of the fans and players as a fun, middle of the season activity, not a competitive game. So, why should one night of lackadaisical baseball trump an entire season of hard work? Imagine this - The Mets give it their all for 162 games and end the season with a hard-fought and well deserved record of 104 wins and 58 losses. The Yankees, on the other hand, squeak into the playoffs with a 50-50 record as the wild card and luckily make it to the World Series. Also, adding to the luck that got them to the World Series, the Yankess, not the Mets, get home field advantage because the American League won the All-star game. Doesn’t that seem a bit unfair? Nevertheless, that is the reality of Major League Baseball today.

Ok, even though it seems as if the rule is completely pointelss, let’s say that the players go along with it and accept the fact that they have to win the All-star game to gain home field advantage. The result? The players who actually have a chance to get to the world series will likely be at their best. But others won’t. Just think about the Barry Bonds of the world. Yes, he is going to get the invite, because, steroids or not, he is a homerun machine. But, how long do you think he is going to stay in the game? Maybe for one or two at-bats in order to please the crowd. For the rest of the game he is going to do just that - rest. And so too will many of the best players in the league as they do not want to run the risk of injury. As a result, even if a player is trying hard to win the game so his team can have home field advantage, doing so will be difficult seeing as how the other players will be anything but reliable, taking the opportunity for some mid-season R&R..

Furthermore, why should a player from one team have to rely on players from opposing teams who have nothing to do with his team or his success? From where I’m sitting, the rule just doesn’t make sense. Do you see any other respectable league do what the MLB is doing? No. Because they understand that you reward the teams who put in the effort and win, not the team who by sheer chance is lucky enough to be on the winning side of a throwaway tribute to the best players in the league.

In sports, rules are a must. Without them you can’t really play. But this is one rule that just doesn’t make sense and should be done away with.

Nishan Wilde is VP of Sales at RobbinsSports.com, an online resource for Gym Bags and Portable Scoreboards, Basketball Uniforms and Track Uniforms

The Secret to Athletic Success

2007-09-11T19:11:00.001-07:00

Why is it that one day we can hit every ball right down the middle, or pick up every frame and the next day, or game, we can hardly keep it on the fairway or in the lane? What causes athletic inconsistency? What is the secret to athletic success?

When you talk to professional athletes they speak of being in the zone when performing at a high level. If you talk to a running back he’ll explain how everyone seemed to move in slow motion and that the hole seemed wide enough to drive a truck through. A tennis player might tell us she could see the spin of the ball and could anticipate exactly where her opponent was going to hit it. A bowler might say he was in the groove. What is this zone that these athletes describe and how do we get into it?

Before we talk about getting into this zone let’s talk about the realities of athletics. Most likely you are not a professional athlete. You are probably a regular person that has lots of interests besides bowling, basketball or whatever your chosen sport(s) happen to be. So if you aren’t a professional athlete, spending hundreds of hours a year at your profession, you probably aren’t going to hit scratch golf every time you go out or become a karate champion, but you may become your club champion and you may win a local tournament or two. In other words you can become the best athlete possible depending on the time you choose to invest in your sport. So get over trying to be a pro, unless you have the time to invest to play at that level, and decide to develop your abilities to the level where you both play your best, and enjoy every moment you play.

The 5 Steps to Athletic Success

1. Get a Coach – Few people who participate in athletic activities actually get instruction. For example the number of people who actually get lessons from a pro golfer over their lifetimes is about eleven percent. The number of people that get training from a personal trainer at a gym is about the same. What is the percentage of people that actually take tennis lessons? You might have guessed, it’s about the same.

It would be nice if all we had to do is watch someone else and be able to play a sport well, but for most of us this is just not a reality. Even the pros have coaches. Golfing sensation Tiger Woods has Hank Haney. Steffi Graf had her father Peter. Even the greatest boxer of all time, Muhammad Ali, had Angelo Dundee. All the greats have coaches and so should you.

In order to play any sport well you need to learn the basics; how to maximize your exercises, place your body, kick your leg, roll the ball, etc. Coaches can shortcut the time it takes to become proficient at any sport while reducing your chance of injury due to incorrect form. Get a coach.

2. Practice – How did you learn to walk? You practiced. After you crawled around for a while you decided to walk and hang on to the furniture. Then you stumbled around, bumping your head and bottom until you could walk. If you would have laid in your crib and only watched people walk you would have never learned how.

The same goes for playing a sport. You cannot sit watching Tiger Woods on TV, never going to the driving range and expect to be able to play on the pro circuit. You won’t be able to watch old Bruce Lee movies and become a black belt. And you won’t be able to become a marathon runner by walking a mile every few days. For any sport you need to learn the rules, practice the basic techniques of the game and develop your body to be able to play the sport comfortably.

3. Set a Goal - Human beings are goal seeking mechanisms. In order to achieve you need to be able to have something to reach for, something tangible. If you want to improve your golf game you need to set a tangible goal of decreasing your score to 80. If you want to bowl better you need to set a goal to increase your score to an average of 180. If you want to be invited to body building contests you need to set a goal of less than 10 percent body fat. Now these may not be your goals but they are real goals, goals that you can shoot for and achieve. You see the one thing that all achievers do is set goals. We become better when we have a goal to focus on.

4. Get Feedback – We all need feedback. One place we’ll get good feedback is from our coach. As we already talked about, feedback from someone who has dedicated their life to helping others improve in their chosen sport is well worth the expense. We can also get feedback from others in the sport that are just a little further along the path than we are. In fact, this can sometimes be priceless because they are acutely aware of what we are going through as a result of having recently going through what you are currently going through. So find a coach and find some people that are just a little bit better than you and ask for their advice. Not only will they be happy to give it, you will learn some great shortcuts toward mastering your sport.

5. Learn the Mental Game – In 1989 when questioned about tennis greats, Chris Evert told Sports Illustrated, "With me, the mental part of the game was always stronger than the physical. Martina was always known for the physical aspects of her game. Steffi has both."

Chris Evert knew that the mental game was paramount. So do all top athletes. So how do you improve the mental game? First you need to overcome negative programming. Get over what you can’t do. Like Henry Ford said once, “If you think you can you can and if you think you can’t you can’t.” Although we have learned to do a number of very complex things in our lives, from walking, to writing, from speaking to eating with a knife, fork and spoon, we often feel that we can’t play a sport well. We say to ourselves, “I’m just not good enough”. Just because you weren’t able to hit a shot a few weeks ago doesn’t mean you can’t hit that shot today. Or just because you could only kick waist high a month ago doesn’t mean you can’t kick chest high today. Instead of focusing on what we can’t do we need to focus on incremental improvement.

Physical improvement, like anything else, is a step by step process. When you keep at it and focus on where you want to be, little by little, your mind and body will take you there. Keep in mind that the level of your game is in direct proportion to the amount of time you can invest in it. In other words, don’t program yourself to think you’re not good at a sport because you don’t play at the same level as your sports idol. Your sports idol became good through practice and so will you. Leave the comparisons for how much improvement you are making, not to how much better (or worse) someone is than you.

Two Mental Factors

Athletic success requires two critical mental factors. The first is physical relaxation. The second is mental concentration or focus. Mastering these two will skyrocket your performance.

Take a look at this typical example. The first guy in your group tees off and hits it 250 yards. You watch it fly perfectly and fall right in the middle, a chip shot to the green. Now it’s your turn and what do you do? You think to yourself “Wow he really hit that one!” and your hands get tight, your arms get tight and you hit the ball with all your might, and it dribbles off the tee. Why did that happen? You made two giant mental mistakes. You tightened up instead of relaxing and you focused on what the other guy did rather than your own game.

So how can you correct these mistakes? How can you learn physical relaxation and mental concentration? You need to do what the professionals do - you need to program yourself for success.

After you learn the basics of the game all the movements you make in sports are done at a subconscious level. This is true for everything we do in life. For example, when you drive you don’t think about it, you just drive. When you started driving it wasn’t this way at all. You had to think about everything at a conscious level. You had to adjust the mirrors, decide how to push the gas pedal and if you had a clutch, wow, that was a real challenge. But little by little you became better and better and now you drive subconsciously. You can be driving down the road with a cup of coffee in one hand while talking to your friend in the passenger’s seat and if a car pulls out in front of you your foot goes to hit the breaks automatically. That’s a subconscious stimulus response reaction. You could actually be riding in your friend’s car in the passenger seat when a car pulls out in front of you and what will happen? Your foot hits the carpet with the same stimulus response reaction even though you know consciously that it won’t stop the car.

In order to become good at a sport you need to teach your body the correct stimulus response reaction for each key area of your game. That way you can relax and let your body do the work it needs to do to make you successful. That’s the reason for practice, to make the body’s performance “automatic”. But in order to have useful automatic performance the practice must be with correct form and that’s why a coach is so important.

Automatic performance can be aided by hypnosis to help you see, or visualize yourself performing correctly. In order to do this you need to remember a time when you performed extremely well, a time when you felt “in the zone” or at least near to it. Then, using all of your senses you need to be able to describe how your mind feels, what you see, what you hear, how your body feels. This may appear as confident, strong, relaxed, focused, perfect concentration or even smooth, depending on your sport.

Once you have discovered the place where you perform at your best you can then use hypnosis to learn how to relax and bring it up automatically. Here’s how. Put yourself in a relaxed state. Then visualize the time when you performed extremely well. Use an anchor, such as making an “O” with your thumb and forefinger or pressing the inside of your elbow with your forefinger and give yourself an audio trigger such as saying “yes”. Repeat this process several times. The next time you practice physically or compete, use this combination of a physical anchor and an audio trigger to put yourself in the zone. You may be amazed at your level of performance.

If you are one of the many people that have difficulty with visualization, or need help in creating an anchor or trigger that works for you, see a hypnotist who can work as your visualization coach. A professional hypnotist can help you learn how to use visualization to improve every aspect of your game.

So there you have it. Get a coach, practice, set a goal, get feedback and learn the mental game. Five easy steps towards a lifetime of sports improvement and enjoyment. If you need help with the mental game look for a professional hypnotist that has a background in sports. No matter what sport they are proficient at they can use their athletic experience to help you use hypnosis to improve your game too.

Wil Dieck is a professional hypnotist practicing in San Diego, California. For more information about Wil and his practice please go to http://www.e-hypnosisworks.com.

How To Thoroughly Enjoy Sports As A Fan Even If You Were Never Into Sports

2007-09-11T19:10:00.001-07:00

If you have been a sports fan, you have all the chances in the world to have fun with your other fellow sports fans. Instead of viewing the game at home sitting by yourself, you can invite all your best friends or best sports fan friends over and have a party. It's a good time to get to know other people and to have new people over. Other than just sitting at home with the same people as always can get pretty boring, you can go into the games and meet new friends to have fun with. The more you get around more people the more you will meet.

It looks as if everyone has been to a super bowl party. Even those who can’t stand football have been to a super bowl party where they have met cool new people. It’s a great day to get together with others and enjoy the same thing as everyone else, and more than likely meet completely new people. Many new friendships are made at super bowl parties and many can be broken through stupidity. You encounter someone who you really like to talk to and like hanging around, and might even end up watching another game with in the future to come. You will most likely end up with a hardcore group of football jocks who love the same thing you do or even more.

Fantasy football leagues are also another great way to get involved socially in the surrounding area around where you are located you have heard of the rules by now. Every player in the fantasy football league picks players from all different teams, and receives a score based on the recruit’s performance. These events are held everywhere you can imagine I think that’s why they are called fantasy games. Just discover a plug in and you will be able to have your fantasy football anywhere and everywhere you go. Sometimes the league will meet up and discuss stats with each other.

As you see before this there are many different ways you can get more active in the areas around you. Watching football no longer has to be the only thing involved in your life. Invite your friends over, have some beer, and enjoy sports with the people you love to chill with. If the people you hang around with don’t like sports go out and find something that the whole group likes and loves to do. I am sure you can find something for your whole group to do besides sit at home and watch football there are many clubs and other places you can go to have a good time.

Gregg Hall is an author living with his beautiful wife and family in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about sports collectibles as well as sports merchandise at http://www.merchandiseforsportsfans.com

How Do You Get Instant Massive Basketball Exposure Part 2

2007-09-11T19:08:00.001-07:00

Last week I sent you How to get massive basketball exposure pt. 1, if you did not get it, it is copied at the end of this email... we went over some crucial points to discover what teams, and schools would die to have you playing for them.

This week we are going to go over the Step-by-step process of getting your named spread like wild fire to 1,000's of coaches, teams and great contacts...

Moving on.

One of the deadliest mistakes I see ballers doing, is sitting back thinking that coaches and teams are going to find them...

Good Luck with that one!

You must, and I mean you must contact and develop relationships with coaches and teams RIGHT NOW!

Even if that team or school is not one you want to go play for... Just having the contact is worth and could save your career... Here are some easy, effective ways to get in touch with coaches and teams. Simply email them, call them, or send them a letter or footage of your game.

One thing you have to understand is that these teams and coaches need you as much as you need them, and they would love if they didn't have to go flying around the country looking for players... so you are saving them allot of headaches, and long flights, that I am sure they would much rather spend coaching basketball or spending time with their family.

And as i showed you in part.1, you will be contacting the teams, and coaches that are looking for you... and what you have to offer.

Now when you contact them, don't just say,- hello my name is **** and I want to come play for you. They here this all day...

Instead, be more personal, do some research on the coach, his team, records stats, and history.

They will just simply melt if you know some things they might not even have known about their team, it also shows that you are a student of the game, and not just another baller that thinks he is the best in the world.

==Pro Secret==

And also tell them, that you were wondering if they might be interested in you, but if they weren't, could they reefer some other coaches or pass you information along to someone that would be able to help you and might be interested in your game...

Just by saying that, you can get your name out to 1,000's of coaches literally over night, they will be more then happy sending your name and info to a good friend of there's or a team they they know you have a shot at, It's like having your own PRO Recruiter working for you for free..

I know a bunch of ballers that have used this tip to get tot he Division-1 level, Steve Nash as a matter of fact... Remember, there are allot of ballers out there that believe they can get to the next level, just like you, they are hungry, eager and determined.

But you can't always just play harder, you have to play smarter too! Get out there right now and be pro active and watch all the great things that will happen.

Rock On!

Your Coach,
Rali Todd
www.gobasketballpro.com

Collectible Sports Memorabilia

2007-09-11T19:07:00.001-07:00

COLLECTING sports collectibles or sports memorabilia, antique or modern, is limited by two factors: the money available and the space to be filled. Having determined these basic essentials, it is then a personal matter. The taste of the collector may lead to Baseball Memorabilia, Basketball Memorabilia, Football Memorabilia, Golf Memorabilia, NASCAR memorabilia, Diecast Collectibles, Bobble Heads, Hero Posters, or innumerable other things. The lucky acquisition of an admired piece may lead to a determination to get more of the same, or at least to find out what the admiration is all about.

An encyclopedia definition of Sports Collecting would go something like this: "The hobby of sports collecting consists of acquiring specific sports items based on a particular sporting interest of the sports collector. These sports collections of sporting things are often highly organized, carefully cataloged, and attractively displayed." A sports collectible (or collectable) is defined as a manufactured item designed for people interested in sports to collect. The term sports memorabilia usually refers to items related to sporting that can be directly connected to a recent or historical sporting event or sports personality. There are many people that collect these sports memorabilia and collectibles.

Since collecting depends on the interests of the individual collector, it may deal with almost any subject including sports collectible & sports memorabilia. The depth and breadth of the collection may also vary. Some collectors choose to focus on a specific subtopic within their area of general interest, for example Baseball memorabilia of the New York Yankees, Basketball memorabilia of the Los Angeles Lakers, Football memorabilia of the Dallas Cowboys, Golf memorabilia of Tiger Woods, NASCAR memorabilia of Tony Stewart, Diecast collectibles of fire trucks, Bobble Heads for any sport, & posters of heroes such as Lance Armstrong. Others prefer to keep a more general collection, accumulating any or all Baseball memorabilia, Basketball memorabilia, Football memorabilia, Golf memorabilia, NASCAR memorabilia, Diecast collectibles, Bobble Heads, or Hero Posters.

When the NBA, MLB, and NFL began selling their basketball, baseball, and football jerseys in stores during the 1980s, game used jerseys also became a hot item among sports memorabilia collectors. Former NBA player Dennis Rodman was famous for taking off his jerseys and throwing them to the stands after his games were over. Michael Jordan is probably the basketball player whose memorabilia is most sought after by collectors. Today’s stars include Ben Roethlisberger, Shaquille O'Neil, Nomar Garciaparra, etc. These players seem to be pushing the already popular area of sports collectibles and memorabilia to a new level of acceptance to the public.

Collections can take the form of a single item such as a signed baseball, football, or basketball. Collections can also take the form of a series of items, such as jerseys from each member of a particular baseball, basketball, or football team. A NASCAR collection of hats from different drivers is very popular. Golf balls with different logos are especially popular. The cost of any sports collectible memorabilia item is directly proportional to the popularity of the sports figure with which the item correlates. The more popular the sports figure, the more money the sports collectible memorabilia item will demand. The whole sports collectible memorabilia industry is driven by supply and demand. The more demand the higher the price and vice versa. Also, the more supply of an item, the lower the price. Sports cards would be a good example. Only so many of certain cards were ever made. Those carry a higher price than those that were made in bulk. Quality is a very big determining factor in the price of any sports collectible memorabilia item. In general, the better the quality, the higher the price.

Kevin is the husband of Becky and the father of 2, Nicholas and Kirsten. He is an avid sports fan and over-all good guy. He has taken his love of sports and developed web sites that offer that love of sports to others.

http://CollectibleSport.com

http://www.Collectible-Sports-Memorabilia.com

http://www.GolfClubsHome.com

The Nike Edge in Sports Apparel

2007-09-11T19:06:00.003-07:00

Sports apparel from Nike seems to be the most popular around. They provide not only fashionable apparel choices but also garments designed to provide comfort and fit all the time. But the most popular of Nike's line of sports apparel are the shoes, particularly used in running.

Apart from shoes Nike also offers a selection of comfortable quality sports apparel. There are sports training apparel available that always ensure quality performance and comfort even at the most demanding conditions. Most shirts and upper training apparel from Nike features the Dri-FIT which is a high performance micro-fiber polyester fabric which offers ultimate comfort to the wearer by pulling perspiration away from the body from the body and directs it to the outer fabric surface where it evaporates and maintains the dry and cool effect of the wearer. Sports apparel made of this fabric will be the only garment that you will need on hot days and can be used as the primary garment layer during cold days.

Nike running shoes have become popular because it is the favored exercise program being followed by most people. Running has provided both excellent exercise and stress relief for most people. In order to get the most out of the sport in terms of fitness and comfort, it’s important to have the right running gear that Nike can provide. Most of its shoes employ much technology and research into its manufacture.

A typical pair of Nike shoes can help minimize the brutal forces of every downward impact during running that can wreak some damage to the feet. Nike has instituted an innovative cushioning system specially designed to cushion and provide maximum impact protection while running.

Having the proper running gear should include everything from the right running shoes that you use down to the running apparel that you wear. Most important is that you find the right running shoe that will be able to provide you with the maximum impact protection. Comfort as well as fit also will need to be considered. Different shoes are required with different kinds foot shapes.

You would require different comfort if you have normal, low or high arches. For normal arches, you can look for running shoes that provide stability as well as good cushioning. Runners with low arches would require you to look for motion control shoes that have firm mid-soles to offer greater stability. For those with high arches, they should opt for shoes that offer plenty of cushioning.

Low Jeremy maintains sports-apparel.articlesforreprint.com. This content is provided by Low Jeremy. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included.

Does New York Really Have The Best Sports Fans Or The Best Sports Teams?

2007-09-11T19:06:00.001-07:00

New York City is a city where everyone takes pride in the team that is from there. New York is more than likely the most popular city when it comes to talking about major league teams. I've never been there but I hear that there isn't a day or night that there isn't a major sporting event happening in that city.

The National Hockey League that near lost its sport is now up and running. New York is known well by the Rangers who got Shannahan from going back to the Red Wings. They perform their home games at Madison square garden.

Set aside hockey, there are more than many other major sports you can see while staying in New York City. I believe there are a few baseball fans in the city. I say only a few because they obviously had to make two teams for so many fans. I will say that the fans do stay loyal when it comes to major league games. The New York Mets and the Yankees draw more than enough loyal respect from their loving fans from this city.

The crazy thing to me is that the double making of teams didn’t stop here. It appears that New York City also has made two really good football teams as well, the Jets and the Giants. Even though I really don’t like either team I give New York props for having two teams that can be supported by all the fans.

Set aside, it also appears that there is still only one basketball team and that is the Knicks. I will not discuss here how it is unfair to the other sports playing in this city but this one team seems to have all the fans attention when they play not just a piece of them. With all so many sports going on in this City it’s crazy to know that men in this city actually keep a job and don’t have a pocket T.V. to go with them everywhere they go.

I don’t know about your humble abode, but around my area it’s hard enough to get anyone to go to a family gathering everyone is always doing something else. I don’t see how women in New York keep a guy but they must do the same they must love the same as they do. But to all of the women and the men that they all so love, I have to say good job for supporting your men and respecting the teams that are in the city you live in. all the sports in your city have to draw attention to you somehow because they all draw attention to the fans.

Gregg Hall is an author living with his beautiful wife and family in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about sports as well as sports collectibles at http://www.merchandiseforsportsfans.com

A Champion Athlete's Aura: Tips for Student-Athletes

2007-09-11T19:05:00.001-07:00

5 Ways to Have the Aura of a Champion Athlete

Varsity teams and even JV teams are becoming increasingly harder to make. For some student-athletes, getting cut as a freshman often means they stop playing their sport for good. Players sometimes make small mistakes that keep them off of a team, or maybe they don't dedicate themselves or play hard enough. From an insider's view -- follow these things to increase your chances of standing out as a special player to your coach at tryouts - and in practices and games -- and when a college coach comes to see you play.

1. Nod. Yes, it's this simple. When your coach is speaking nod gently once in awhile to let them know you are listening. This secret will work in the classroom too - or in a large group setting. Speakers will make more eye contact with the nodding person in the group. Try it. You'll see.

2. Make eye contact with your coach. Often, young players have wandering eyes when people speak to them. Be respectful and attentive. Look coach in the eye to connect with what they say.

3. Refuse to make an excuse. Players make excuses for so much stuff. Make it to practice. Make it to practice on time. Bring your shoes, your helmet, your pads, your hair tie - or whatever it is. Just bring it! And then BRING IT!

4. Be COACHABLE, and be a sponge. When your coach tells you how to correct a mistake or how to improve forget about saying BUT I...or I thought. Simply say okay coach, Thank you, or I've got it. Next time.

5. Focus. Make a conscious decision before each practice and game that you want to be there and tell yourself you will give it your all. Literally, say out loud or in your head "I am committed to doing my best during practice, or "For this game I will fully inspire my teammates and play my best and play to win." If you have time, write this down. You will be amazed at the power of writing down your intentions.

Author Laura Mitchell is a former NCAA Head College Basketball Coach, NCAA two-sport athlete, and High School Volleyball and Basketball Coach. Mitchell was also an outreach academic counselor for the University of California's Central Section. She is the CEO of Sports Dreammakers and the college sports counselor for America's largest charter school. Mitchell travels the country offering her workshops and seminars to student-athletes and parents who seek information about how to make their dream of playing college sports a reality. For more info visit http://www.athleticinspiration.com

How Do You Get Instant Massive Basketball Exposure?

2007-09-11T19:04:00.001-07:00

How do you get massive exposure and get some of the top college and pro recruits beating down your door and Filling your mailbox full of scholarships and contracts?

Great question. And It's not as hard as you think!

I have always said and believed that the Greatest basketball player in the world will do nothing unless the right people, and I mean the right people know of him.

You see,one of the most important aspects of basketball ( exposure) has been completely neglected for centuries...

THEY ALWAYS SAY JUST GO play on a Travel Team and you will get noticed...

you have a better shot at making a full court, behind the back, with a blind fold shoot!

I have a better, more productive way of getting massive exposure and having your name spreading like wild fire to thousands of coaches, scouts and teams.

Don't believe me? See what this baller had to say:

First A College Scholarship and Now a Pro Contract!

"Hey Rali,

Amazing Isn't it!

This baller came form a No NAME Community College down in Miami, and I helped Him get a D-1 Scholarship To TCU, and then I Got him a Pro Contract Over In Brazil...

Now I know Brazil is not the NBA, But he is playing pro ball and getting paid for something he loves...

Plus,now he has an opportunity to get his name out there and Participate In NBA Workouts...

I know what your next question Is....

How Did I Do It? Whats my secret?

You Want to Know My secret?

Okay Here it is....

One of the easiest, but most effective ways you can get scouts and recruits Knowing of you and attending all your games is by contacting them...

That's' Right, contacting them.

But there is a system you have to follow...

Here is the system: First you have to really know what your game is like, what you do great and what you do horrible...

What is your niche... Ask your coach, other coaches, teammates, parents, get as much info as you cane...

Then you need to do some research...

Go on the Web at start looking at different schools and teams, see what there roster is like, and see all the years the players have been there...

This is a great way for you to secretively find out what that team is looking for, and what they are interested in...

let's use an example...

If you are a point guard, that is small, but has a lot of skills

Then you found a Goldmine...

You are exactly what that team needs and is looking for!

But now if that team has three guards, that were High school All Americans, and none of them are higher then sophomores..

Then you better move on... they already have your spot filled!

This is what I call being Pro Active... It is the difference between PLAYING HARD AN PLAYING SMART...

It is also the difference between most of the players that get scholarships, and most of the ones that end up Sitting at home, watching ESPN...

So now you know that that team need someone like you, now you can begin contacting them.

Stay tuned for Part 2 Of this Course which Will Be Next Week.

Start researching some teams, and start asking coaches, trainers, players and parents what they think of you game so you can get progress report to use when researching those teams..

Your Coach Rali Todd www.gobasketballpro.com

Summer Olympics 2008 Cities

2007-09-11T19:03:00.001-07:00

Summer Olympics 2008, China

China will host the prestigious Summer Olympics in 2008. Already, Olympics fever has gripped China and we'll probaby see another exciting Olympics in 2008. The two cities that will host the Olympics in China are Beijing, which is the nations capital and Qingdao, a seaside city in the province of Shandong, in north-east China. Let's get to know these two Olympics cities better.

Beijing

Beijing is the capital for China. It was also a capital for the last two monarchies that ruled China before being overthrown by Sun Yat Sun in 1911 and has been the capital since Mao Tse Tung declared China a People's Republic in 1949.

Beijing is located in northern China, close to Tianjin Municipality and partially surrounded by Hebei Province. The city covers an area of more than 16,800 square kilometers (6,487 square miles) and has a population of 13.82 million people. Beijing is at its best in late spring and autumn, particularly during the months of May, September, and October when people can enjoy bright sunshine and blue skies.

As the capital of the People's Republic of China, Beijing is the nation's political, economic, cultural and educational center as well as being the China's most important center for international trade and communications. It has been the heart and soul of politics and society throughout its long history and consequently there is an unparalleled wealth of discovery to delight and intrigue travelers as they explore Beijing's ancient past and enjoy its exciting modern development.

Beijing is also the tourist capital of China, boasting of favourite tourist sites such as :

Great Wall of China

Forbidden City

Summer Palace

Temple of Heaven

Ming tombs

Tiananmen Square.

Beijing will also be the host for the Summer Olympics in 2008. Already, Olympics fever has gripped the city as construction of new buildings, hotels and stadiums, sprucing of tourist facilities, cleaning up of air and water pollution takes on a fervent pace.

Qingdao

Qingdao is a bustling city located in Shandong province, in the North East of China. Qingdao will be the site for sailing events for the Summer Olympics as Beijing is not by the sea.

Qingdao city lies on undulating hills with luxuriantly green trees and buildings noted for their attractive architectural styles. The red colour of the tiled roves, green colour of the trees thills and blue of the sea contrast beautifully. All this along with its beautiful climate, make the city well-known as a summer and health resort.

The city occupies an area of 10 654 km2. The city is located in flatlands, with mountains spurring up nearby. The highest elevation in the area is 1133 m above sea level. The city has a 730.64-kilometer coastline. Five significant rivers that flow for more than 50 km can be found in the region.

Qingdao is estimated to be the home for more than 7 million inhabitants, of which around 2.6 million is residing in the Qingdao urban area.

Qingdao enjoys mild summers and relatively warm winters, with the average July temperature at 23.8°C and the average January temperature at -0.7°C. The city gets most rain in June and July, at an average of 150 mm.

Qingdao has very strong German influence in the 19th century and many German influenced buildings can still be seen. In fact, Qingdao beer is famous throughout the world, and every year, hundreds of thousands of people, both local and overseas gather in Qingdao for the annual Beer festival.

Qingdao attracts many tourists due to its seaside setting and excellent weather. Parks, beaches and sculpture -- as well as some unique architecture -- line the shore. Qingdao's major attractions include:

* Ba Da Guan, the older area of town with some surviving German architecture.

* Laoshan, a famous Taoist mountain.

* Lu Xun Park, named after Lu Xun, a famous modern Chinese writer.

* Qingdao Beer Museum, on the site of the old brewery.

* Qingdao Naval Museum

* Qingdao International Beer City, the primary site of the annual Qingdao International Beer Festival.

* Qingdao Underwater World

* St. Michael's Cathedral, a Gothic/Roman cathedral designed by German architect Pepieruch, completed in 1934.

* Zhan Qiao (Zhan Pier)

* Zhanshan Temple, Qingdao's only Buddhist temple.

Qingdao has such nice weather and scenary that the China ruling party has a large rest and retirement santuary in Qingdao for it's retired cadres.

Ken Cheong spent 7 years working, living and travelling in China. Please feel free to distribute this article as long as you mention his websites at: http://www.chinese-culture.net and http://www.quick-pain-relief.com

A Needed Savior

2007-09-11T19:02:00.001-07:00

“With the first pick of the 2003 NBA draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers select Lebron James from St. Vincent St. Mary High School.” Remember when David Stern said those above words to a highly anticipated group of people? He was ushering a new time for a new player to take a huge task. Ever since Michael Jordan has left the NBA in 1998, the NBA has taken a freefall. A reason for this is that up to this point, there has not been one super great player that can help boost the NBA.

The NBA is really a business that appeals to people because of their love of sports. If there were no good teams and few good players, it would not appeal a good amount. When Lebron first started out with the Cavs, there were huge expectations because people felt that he was the next coming. If anything, he would be able to help save the NBA.

While it took Lebron four years to make the NBA finals, he has made his mark. Now people know that the Cavs are a favorite to represent the East again and will have another chance to win the NBA title. Like Michael Jordan said, it was something that was needed for the league. He referred to an absence of a great player, someone who everyone would follow because of his greatness. Jordan was that player, a player who made it worthwhile to watch.

It is no question that Lebron is a great player, but he is still lacks something. He needs to win on the highest level to prove that all of hype was well deserved. If he is able to win the title, people will respect him and will take a further interest. With the popularity that Lebron already has as the most hyped player of his generation, it will be hard to not watch.

In everyday life, there needs to be one great thing, something that gives a definition to a larger topic.

NBA fan
By Jonathan T Chin

Sports Jacket - A Pragmatic Guide

2007-09-11T18:59:00.001-07:00

Tips to Conquerors of the North Face

Setting off on an expedition to the north face the first time? No need to be apprehensive with regard to safety if you choose the outdoor gear carefully, no matter it is for skiing or climbing. The following tips help you decide the most appropriate set of snow pants, ski jackets, shoes, backpacks and all that.

Choosing the Best Gear

Uninformed and ignorant buying is a potential invitation to snow mountain hazards. Taking a friend or your coach along helps choose the most suitable and avoid counterfeits. However if alone, check the shells of jackets and shoe uppers for waterproofing qualities. Despite that, waterproofed nylon fabrics breathe and keep you dry inside. Next, upper body and elbows, most damage prone spots, must be reinforced with two layers; this is ideal for carrying backpacks. Zippers are must for hand warmer and chest pockets like it is for the front closure. There are separate contours for men and women.

Down jackets provide quilted middle insulating layer; when buying, check for full length front zipper flap, either inside or outside for additional protection. If hiking is the plan, you may consider Denali jackets which also match the fashion streak in you with vibrant color choice.

When climbing up the north face shoes give the best protection from slippery and crackling snow and rock faces. Shoes need to be thick (2.0-2.2 mm); waterproof & still breathable, insulated like fleece jackets and the best comfort will be when they are molded for anatomical contours. The outer soles are designed mostly of rubber for terrain; collars and tongues must be lined in order to protect from snow or moisture seepage. If you don't like the metal loops and ends for lace go for zipper entry types. Check for sealing at seams, best would be from latex rubber.

A wide variety and brands offer complete range in backpacks. Hiking, trekking, climbing and hydration are better served by north face backpacks.

Alevoor Rajagopal is an MBA. He can be contacted at My Site He is also writing on Career Matters

Practice

2007-09-11T18:55:00.001-07:00

Very few of us can pick up a complex task and ace it the first time we try it. Take typing. In all the years I taught it, I never had a single student sit down at the keyboard and type 60-70 words a minute their first time.

Not long ago a writing friend of mine asked me to explain how I learned to write. I told her, “I wrote.” To which she replied, “Well, yeah, but I mean how did you LEARN to write.” Again I said, “I wrote.” Journals, poems, short stories, articles, news stories, feature stories, novels. If it involved putting words together on paper, I did it.

It sounds simple but terribly time consuming. Wouldn’t it be so much easier if there was just a formula you could give someone? Anyone new at anything wants to be able to do it like a pro the first time out. We all want to be able to play the guitar like Keith Urban or basketball like Lebron James. But the reality is that even Keith Urban didn’t play that way the first time he picked up a guitar. Same with Mr. James. Sure, they had some innate talent, but what they had more than that was so much desire to do it well that they were willing to do what is in everybody’s grasp—practice.

The first time I learned this rule, I was in fifth grade. The girls in my hometown were famous statewide because they made it to and won the State Championships regularly in basketball. So, we all got to learn basketball whether we wanted to or not. Now, fortunately I was from a very small school, so our coach in the fifth grade was the same coach who steered the high school teams to these State Championships. I will forever be grateful for what I learned from him. In short, I learned the value of practice.

We didn’t start by shooting at the goal. No, we started by learning where to put our hands on the basketball and where to put our feet on the floor. We “shot” with no ball at least a few hundred times at the beginning of each practice session. Then we practiced shooting an actual basketball into the air. Then we shot to each other. And when I say practice, I mean just that. Thousands of times set your hands, set your feet, down, up, follow through the air—to your partner who then went through the same procedure.

In the high school ranks, the girls on the team were required to make 2,000 free throws before the season began. At the time it seemed excessive. Now I understand. When you stand on that line and make 2,000 free throws and then make countless more during practices, by the time you step on that line with a gym-full of people yelling at you and the game on the line, your body knows what to do automatically.

Ask any good pianist, typist, cook, designer, soccer player… Ask anyone who is at the top of any game how they got there, and you will hear one refrain over and over even if it only echoes in their statements: They practiced. They came before everyone else, they concentrated on learning to do each step not just right but perfect while the actual practice was going, and they stayed after regular practice to work more. Top students spend hours reading and studying. Their success is no mystery. They practiced.

And the lesson transfers so easily to every area of our lives. Want to be more patient? Practice patience in the small situations so you’ll be ready in the big situations. Want to be a better friend? Practice it. Want your kids to say “Please” and “Thank you”? Then they must practice it.

That’s the key. It may take 2,000 times, but if the desire is there, proficiency will follow. I can’t play basketball to save my life (too afraid of the other players on the court), but I can shoot the most beautiful set-shot and the most beautiful jump shot you’ve ever seen. Why?

Because I practiced.

If you're looking for more of the real "good stuff," visit Staci Stallings at http://www.stacistallings.com. She has articles, faith stories, and a monthly newsletter chocked full of inspiration and God's love waiting just for you. Come on over. You'll feel better for the experience!

The Olympic Games Were Not Always So Friendly

2007-09-11T18:54:00.001-07:00

The modern Olympics we see are often held up as a continuation of the first games. While the basic idea of sporting events is common to both, there is much that is different.

The original Olympics were actually only one part of four games held during the year. The others were the Nemean, Isthmian and Pythian Games. The Olympics, however, were by far the most famous. These games derived their name from Olympia, were they were held.

The Olympics were first held in 776 BC. The games were part of a religious festival in honor of the Greek gods. They were held in the temple sanctuary of Olympia in Peloponnesus, which is located in southern Greece. The games celebrated sporting achievement and excellence as well as victory. In fact, victory was the only thing celebrated and it often stood in place of open warfare between various factions. There was no silver or bronze medal awarded.

Every year, the Olympics were held on the second full moon after the summer solstice. This would have put them in July or August of each year. The games lasted for roughly five days. A truce was declared for the up to three months prior to the games so contestants could heal from battles and prepare themselves.

The origin of the games has not been conclusively determined. Greek legend has it that Zeus, himself, started the games. Other legends have it that Herakles founded the games. A third view is that they games were created as a memorial to Pelops, a hero. Whatever the reason, the games have certain stood the test of time even if the original Greeks would not recognize them today.

The original Olympics had only one event – the foot race. Not until the 18th Olympiad were individual events such as wrestling, horse riding, discus and javelin throwing were added. At its height, over 40,000 people would pile into a stadium in Olympia to watch the events.

Given the peaceful tone of the modern Olympics, it is somewhat surprising the pankration was one of the most popular events of the early games. It was essentially a brawl between as many contestants as entered, fighting all at the same time, with the last man standing declared the winner. All Olympic events were restricted to men, to wit, women could only watch.

Ancient Greeks were very competitive, and the games were about the only no-war outlet for their passion. Given this basic truth, it is somewhat odd that the modern Olympics attempt to disdain politics and national rivalries.

Richard Monk is with FactsMonk.com - a site with facts about everything. Visit us to read more about Greece and Ancient Greece - Olympics.

Sports - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and His Fabulous Career

2007-09-11T18:53:00.001-07:00

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a former NBA (National Basketball Association) player of legendary status. At 7 feet, 2 inches in height, Kareem dominated the in the NBA for 20 years. Kareem was voted the National Basketball Association's most valuable player on six different occasions, in addition to being on the NBA All-Star team in 19 of his 20 seasons. Being named one of the fifty greatest players in NBA history, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was inducted into the NBA hall of fame in 1995.

Kareem was born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Jr. in Harlem, New York City, in 1947. Born a large baby, 12 pounds and 11 ounces, Ferdinand began dominating the game of basketball at an early age. In high school he led his team at Power Memorial Academy to a 96-6 overall record with a 71-game winning streak and three straight New York City Catholic championships. After high school he decided to attend UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles), where he played college basketball from 1966 to 1969. During his college campaign, Ferdinand helped lead UCLA to 88 wins and just 2 loses with three championships. In addition to the fantastic team accomplishments, Ferdinand was named Player of the Year twice, named First Team All-American on three occasions and was the first Naismith College Player of the Year. The trademark goggles he wears was the result of a scratched left cornea that happened while playing basketball in college. Ferdinand Alcindor also converted to Islam during college but his name change didn't occur until 1971.

After college, Kareem was drafted in the 1969 NBA Draft as the first overall pick by the Milwaukee Bucks after declining a millions dollars to play for the Harlem Globetrotters. Placing second in scoring and third in rebounding during his first year in the NBA, Abdul-Jabbar easily earned Rookie of the Year honors. In his second season with the Milwaukee Bucks, he earned his first scoring title, his first Most Valuable Player award and first Finals MVP award along with winning the his first NBA championship. Over the next five years he remained a dominant force with Bucks with multiple scoring titles and winning MVP honors another two times before being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. In his first five years with the Lakers he earned three more Most Valuable Player awards. Before Kareem's retirement from basketball in 1989 he won five more championships with the Lakers under the coaching of Pat Riley.

Besides being a basketball superstar, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has been in a couple films as an actor and has appeared as a guest on a few television shows. His first movie appearances were in "Airplane!" and "Fletch". Kareem has since been named to NBA Hall of Fame and in 2005 became an assistant to coach Phil Jackson of the Los Angeles Lakers. Kareem is currently helping to develop young players on the Lakers. Every player on the Lakers surely listens to the wise words of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar because he is one of the top five players in the National Basketball Association's history.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Sports

Buying Hard-to-Find Concert, Sport, Theater, Season and Event Tickets

2007-09-11T18:52:00.001-07:00

If you enjoy attending big events in sports, music, theater, or other major events, you probably realize how difficult securing your tickets can be, especially at the last minute. Popular events will often be "sold out" before everyone who wants to attend can grab their tickets. Then, those who don't get a ticket must scramble at the last minute to try and find tickets through other sources.

If you find yourself in a bind like this, using online resources can sometimes help you secure last minute or sold-out concert, sport, theater, season and event tickets. But there are a few things to be aware of when buying sold-out or hard-to-find tickets. Use the pointers below to save time and money while protecting yourself from ticket scams.

Check for Online Security when Ordering

You can take a look around a ticket website and its ordering section to be sure the ordering process is secure. The order page itself should be a secure page if you are to enter your credit card information directly into a form. The page is usually secure if the Web address begins with "https://". The "s" means it is secure. If the ticket company is using a third party ordering service, be sure it's a company that is well known and trustworthy.

Contact Information

Check to be sure you can contact the ticket company by phone when you need them. If the website does not offer a good "contact us" system, beware of them. You could get stuck with the bill and no tickets. If you order football tickets or baseball tickets, for instance, and the game is rained out or cancelled for some reason, you should be able to contact the ticket company to find out what your next step should be.

Check for Reputation

You can contact the Better Business Bureau (BBB) or visit the BBB Online to check out a company if you're not sure if you can trust them. Here you can find out if there have been any recent complaints about the company, how long the company has been in business, and so forth.

Beware of Hidden Fees

Before placing an order for concert tickets, football tickets, theater tickets such as "Wicked" tickets, or any other event tickets, make sure there are no hidden charges. The hidden charges often come camouflaged as "service charges" or something similar. Shipping charges are fine as long as they are reasonable. The average rush shipment could cost you an amount from $15 to $25 in the U.S. and up to $35 internationally.

Look for the "Buyer Guarantee"

When you buy tickets, you should have the assurance that if for some reason, the event is cancelled or the ticket purchase falls through, you can have your money back. The ticket company should state up front what their policy is and if they offer a customer guarantee when things go wrong. If they don't state this anywhere, seek out a ticket company that does cater to the customer's needs.

If you really want to attend an event, it's wise to buy tickets early. There's never a guarantee that you will be able to buy tickets at the last minute. But when and if the time comes that you need to buy tickets at the last minute, use the guide above to keep your personal information and money safe. Whether you are buying concert, sport, theater, season or event tickets, you'll have peace of mind knowing you can get last minute or sold-out tickets when you need them.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Learn more about Tips for Sold-Out Event Tickets or Majon's Sports directory.

A Losing Win?

2007-09-11T18:51:00.001-07:00

Sometimes it can be hard if your team is unable to win and your performance is not good. This applies to many NBA players today. They are unable to win and they have a poor supporting cast. They will probably be seen whining about losing and will have some issues like wanting to be traded. Kobe Bryant, star guard for the Lakers has said that he wants to be traded. He is tired of the Lakers team and has been unsuccessful as of late.

However, playing the game with passion and interest is more important than just outright winning. Winning is a great feeling to have but is not the only thing that matters. If you do win it doesn’t really matter. You can be labeled as a loser or a winner but what really matters is how you view yourself.

If you are a star player and you cannot win, then you cannot win. You have tried various methods and more, but you are unable to do so. These players should be glad to have a career in the professional ranks. At the end of the day, if you win, you win, you lose, etc. You can still play the game, see the fans, score, rebound, get interviewed and much more.

Winning is something that people want to measure. They can but even if you do not win enough, your value does not fall as a player. You still have passion and still play the game. You should grateful for a chance to do so. It is every kid’s dream.

When you see players cry because they have lost a big game that they will probably never play, it is alright. Emotions run deep in the sport and everyone wants to have a good feeling. However, they can push that aside and have a career just to have it.

NBA fan
By Jonathan T Chin

Winter Olympics Teaching Tips

2007-09-11T18:46:00.001-07:00

Do you recognize the names Giant Slalom, Luge, and Curling? Yes? Then you must be ready for the Winter Olympics! Here are a few suggestions to make them more meaningful to your children:

1. Let each child or small group of children choose an event to research. The events may be their favorites or ones they would like to know more about. (NOTE: A list of Winter Olympic events is at the end of this article.)

2. Tell the children what you want them to find out...the history of the sport, the rules of it, the equipment needed, people who have performed that event in past Winter Olympics...whatever you decide. This will keep them focused and help them write their reports using main ideas.

3. Classify the Olympic events into categories. Which take place on the snow? On the track? On the rink?

4. Make a video collage with snippets of each event.

5. Hold your own Winter Olympics! If you live where it does not snow, use props that can substitute for skis (shoeboxes, foil), ski poles (broomsticks), and whatever else you can find. Amend the rules for your age group. For the Medal Ceremony, use gold, silver, and copper pens to make the ribbons. Have your children sequence the activities in which they participated.

6. Alphabetize the names of the Olympic events.

7. Use a TV Guide to practice reading schedules and find the days, times, and channels for specific sports.

Here is a list of Winter Olympic events:

Giant Slalom, Luge, Curling, Speed Skating, Ski Jumping, Freestyle Aerials, Biathlon, Super-G, Ice Dancing, Cross Country, Combined Downhill, Slalom, Short Track, Bobsleigh, Nordic Combined,

Figure Skating, Freestyle Moguls, Snowboarding, Ice Hockey, Downhill, Skeleton

Enjoy the Winter Olympics!

I hope these ideas are useful and inspire your own creative thinking.

And remember...Reading is FUNdamental!

About The Author
Freda J. Glatt, MS, retired from teaching after a 34-year career in Early-Childhood and Elementary Education. Her focus, now, is to reach out and help others reinforce reading comprehension and develop a love for reading. Visit her site at http://www.sandralreading.com. Reading is FUNdamental!